


Making New Memories

by Marine3950



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Also the pairing is tentative, Amnesia, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, I have no idea where this is going, I'm sorry I take so long, writing is hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2020-12-17 18:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21059123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marine3950/pseuds/Marine3950
Summary: When you've forgotten who you are, where you came from, and what's important to you, is it more important to recover what you've lost? Or do you focus on your future, and where you go from here?





	1. A Girl from the Plains

# Chapter 1: A Girl from the Plains

_Once, Dragons and men coexisted. They shared a peace forged in wisdom, a peace that lasted many generations. All that was lost when mankind disrupted this balance in a sudden onslaught. Man fought Dragon in a savage war that shook the foundations of their world. This war was called The Scouring. Defeated and humbled, dragons vanished from the realm. In time, man rebuilt and spread his dominion across the land and on to the islands beyond._

_A millennium has passed since those dark days ended…_

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

She woke slowly to the world around her. Her thoughts were a slow crawl, and the sensations came one by one. The weight of a blanket. Her head on a pillow. Her body laid on a small cot. The pounding ache in her head. The cool draft blowing through the room. The rustle of wind blowing against… canvas? Her eyes opened, slowly, adjusting quickly to the dim light.

She was in a tent. Wooden supports came up from the ground, meeting in the middle around a hole. She sat up too quickly, and a growing headache pierced the fog in her mind as she continued to survey her surroundings.

It was a decently-sized tent, probably lived in by at least a few people, if the two other cots were any indication, one made, the other unmade. It was sparsely decorated. The remains of a fire smoldered in the middle of the tent. The tent’s door flap was open, which explained the draft. The other occupants must have left.

A sudden panic ripped through her, and she threw off the blanket, hands dropping to her belt. There, in a small bag fastened to her belt by a steel chain, she felt it, and she instantly relaxed. Even through the fog, she knew it was important. Holding on to it, even through the bag, she knew that she would be fine.

“Ah! You’re awake now? I’m glad.” Her eyes followed the voice to the tent’s entry, where a girl in her mid-to-late teens stood, firewood bundled up in her arms. Her clothes were teal, trimmed with gold and white. She wore her long green hair in a high ponytail that fell past her hips. Her boots were caked with mud. A quick glance at her face showed her that the girl seemed genuine.

“I found you unconscious on the plains. You’ve been out for three days since. You even managed to sleep right through a thunderstorm.” She unloaded the firewood near the fire’s remains, and moved over to an open box, where some tinder sat.

“Give me a moment, and I’ll cook us some breakfast. My name’s Lyn, of the Lorca tribe. You’re safe now.” She gathered some tinder, and set about starting a fire. “So, tell me about yourself. Can you remember your name?”

Name... Her name... What was her na- “Terra.”

Lyn nodded. “Alright, Terra. Do you remember what brought you to the Plains of Sacae?”

Terra sat in silence, racking her brain, trying to come up with something. Finally, she shook her head. “I don’t know. Who I am… where I came from… what I’m doing here. I just… I don’t know.”

Lyn paused at that, hands retracting from where they’d been about to strike flint and steel. She stayed that way for a moment, looking over Terra, her face scrunched in contemplation. Then, with a shake of her head, she started the fire. “You’re wearing travel attire, but I can’t tell much by its make. Your pack had a tome about the Scouring in it, but no journal or maps, so no help there. Do you have a coin purse?” Terra checked her person, then shook her head. Lyn sighed. “Then we can’t track where you’ve been by your money, either. There’s no good way of telling where you came from.”

“I can take you to Bulgar in a few days.” Lyn continued. “Maybe you passed through an inn there.” She sighed again, scratching and shaking her head. “Or maybe you made it all the way south from Ilia.” She frowned. “Well, we won’t be able to head out for a few days, anyways. We’ll worry about it later.” With that, she stood, and set about making breakfast.

*** *** *** *** ***

They ate breakfast in an awkward silence, neither sure what to say to the other. Terra offered a hand with the cleanup, but Lyn declined, handling it all herself. The silence persisted for a while longer, before Terra spoke again.

“So, where are the others?” Terra asked.

Lyn’s smile faltered, replaced with a confused expression. “The others? What do you mean?”

Terra gestured to the other beds. “There are two other beds in here. I took someone’s spot, so that means there are two other people staying in this tent, right? Where are they?”

Lyn’s expression darkened. She opened her mouth to say something, when both heard distant shouting from outside. Lyn jumped and excused herself, practically sprinting out of the tent to investigate. Terra sat there for a moment, wondering if she’d said something wrong, when Lyn burst back into the tent.

“Shit! It’s bandits!” Terra straightened at that. “They must have come from the Bern Mountains! They’ve probably here to raid the local villages… I have to stop them!” Lyn rushed over to one of the cots, and pulled a sheathed sword out from under it.

“If that’s all of them…” She fastened the sword to her belt. “I think I can handle them on my own.” She took a deep breath, trying to wipe the uncertainty from her face. “We’re far from the main camp, and hidden from view by a small grove of trees. You’ll be safe in here, Terra.”

“No way! I’m not sitting here while you rush off to fight!” She swung herself around on the bed, and stood, but in rising so quickly to her feet, a wave of lightheadedness overwhelmed her, she fell back to the bed. “I-I’m fine!” Terra said quickly. “I’m just… I’ll be fine.”

“You’ve been out for three days! You’d be in no shape to fight.” Lyn looked into Terra’s eyes. Terra looked back, and could see fear for herself and for the stranger she’d rescued, mixed with hope that Terra had an answer so that she wouldn’t have to go out alone, and a burning determination to not stand here a moment longer.

“Then I won’t fight, I’ll lead.” Terra said. “I’m a tactician. I can guide you.” Something in her knew it was true, but the words surprised her all the same. “I can’t fight,” she continued, “but I can advise you. You’re a new fighter, right?” Lyn nodded slowly. “Then let me help you.”

Lyn sighed in what Terra thought was relief, and smiled. “Thank you, Terra. We’ll go together!”

They waited until Terra was ready to go, and left the tent. As they looked out over the plains, Terra managed to spot the two closer brigands as they stalked across the plains, a bit more than a hundred yards apart.

“You’ll want to get as close as you can before you make your charge.” Terra said, taking the bag Lyn offered her. “You’re outnumbered. If they can team up on you, your chances of winning this fight drop hard. Take the first one out as quickly as you can, then be ready for the next one. Alright?”

Lyn’s grip on the sheath tightened. “Alright. Let’s go. Just stay close, alright? I’ll protect you.”

They dashed forward, using some of the taller stands of grass for cover. Lyn advanced with the practiced gait and patience of a hunter on the prowl, hastened by the need to stop the bandits before her. Terra kept pace with her, keeping a few yards back. They closed to what couldn’t have been more than fifteen yards from the first brigand. They paused.

Lyn shot forward like an arrow from a bow. The brigand turned, alerted by her sudden movement, but he was surprised, and his reaction was slow. Lyn’s sword cut into him, and she was quick enough to avoid his counterattack before striking out again. She dove in again, and her third strike was enough to drop the brigand.

The second brigand, alerted by the cries of the first, approached with caution. Lyn, spurred on by her success, continued her charge. But this bandit was ready, and though Lyn again delivered a successful first strike, this brigand’s counter-swing flew true as well. Lyn sucked down a pained cry, and pulled back. The bandit pressed the attack, but Lyn was able to dodge this swing, and delivered two lethal strokes in retaliation.

Lyn breathed hard, clutching the wound tight. “Terra. There’s a pair of vulneraries in the bag, and a roll of bandages. Please, give me a hand.” Terra opened the bag, and grabbed one of the small cloth sacks, undid the knot securing it, and used two fingers to scoop out a dose of the medicine within. It was a combination of a painkiller, wound sealer, and cleaning agent, with a consistency like wet chalk dust. The medicine was enough to let you take your mind off of the wound for a while, but by no means a cureall, and definitely not a permanent solution.

One quick bandaging later, Lyn and Terra set off towards the last of the bandits. He’d apparently heard their scuffle with the other two bandits, and had stopped his advance a few yards shy of a large tent on the village’s outskirts. This time, Lyn approached cautiously. The brigand made no effort to charge them, instead content to stand between them and the village.

“You’re pretty stupid if you think you can stand against Batta the Beast!” The brigand roared. “But if you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your death wish!” However, Batta held his ground, making no move to charge his opponent. Lyn held her ground as well, waiting for her foe to make the first move.

And move he did. Batta began slowly backing up, edging closer to the village. “You’re just a silly little girl with a sword.” He taunted. “You can’t stop me! I’m Batta the Beast! I take what I want!” He turned on his heel. “And I want this village.”

Lyn screamed, charging him the second his back was turned. She ran faster than she ever had before, closed the distance before Terra could shout a warning. Suddenly, as she struck out, Batta wheeled again, swinging his axe in a wild arc. Lyn, already committed to her attack, followed through and landed a good hit, but Batta’s massive blow knocked her away easily. She yelped in shock and pain as she backpedaled. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Blood began to flow from her wound, staining her dress.

“He’s… he’s no joke, huh, Terra?” Lyn grunted. “It all comes down to this.”

“Lyn, you can’t fight him head on!” Terra cried. “You have to be careful!“

“If I die here…” Lyn paused for a moment, collecting herself. “If I die, you have to run, alright? You have to live.”

Before Terra could respond, Lyn rushed forward again. Batta prepared another mighty swing, a feral snarl across his face. The axe descended…

At the last possible moment, Lyn completed her feint, dodging the brunt of the blow before pivoting to deal a powerful strike of her own, one Batta was unable to dodge. The sword struck home.

“H-how did you…” Batta rasped. Then, he slumped to the ground. Lyn stood over his corpse, and turned to offer a reassuring smile to Terra, before she joined Batta on the ground.

*** *** *** *** ***

Lyn woke to the smell of cooking meat. She opened her eyes slowly, taking in the dull ache from her wounds. She was alive, she realized belatedly. She hadn’t bled out next to the bandit she’d managed to kill. She sat up in the bed, wincing at the pain as her body objected to her renewed activity.

“Good morning, Terra!” Lyn offered. Terra looked up from her preparations and gave Lyn a relieved smile.

“Evening, actually.” Terra supplied. “You were down for a day. That fight took a lot out of you, and I’m not just talking about your injuries.” Terra’s smile fell. “You pushed yourself hard yesterday. Probably harder than you’ve ever pushed yourself before.”

Lyn dodged her gaze. “I had to.” She defended. “The village needed to be protected. I couldn’t-” Lyn stopped herself, pain welling up in her eyes.

“You couldn’t let it happen again?” Terra asked.

Lyn stared daggers at Terra for that, and she immediately regretted her words. A fire burned bright in Lyn’s eyes, a fire that burned a hole right through Terra. But the fire was only there for a moment, before it was replaced by a deep sadness, and Lyn’s gaze fell again with a small nod.

“I don’t live alone by choice. I… My parents are dead.” Terra could see tears starting to form. “My mother and father… My people, the Lorca, they’re all… I’m the last of my tribe.” The tears flowed freely now, but she fought to keep her voice level. “They came six months ago. Bandits came and they… So many people died… Mom and Dad… I-I watched-“ Her breath caught. 

“My f-father was the chieftain. I t-tried to protect our people. But I’m-“ _Just a silly little girl with a sword_ “S-so young. And our people… the Lorca are an old-fashioned bunch. Th-they wouldn’t follow me. No one would f-follow me. The tribe broke, and s-scattered on the wind. I’ve been alone f-for so long. I-“

“I’m sorry.”

Terra’s apology was unexpected, the hug even more so, but when Lyn felt Terra’s arms wrap around her, it was like a dam had burst. Tears and sobs and ragged gasps all came pouring out, and Terra held her close. Neither knew how long they sat in the embrace, and even after Lyn’s crying stopped, they sat together in the silence.

“Thank you, Terra.” Lyn said finally. “For everything.”

Terra smiled, and scooted back a bit. “We owe each other a lot, it seems.”

“Would you teach me?” Lyn asked.

“Teach you?” Terra answered. “What do you mean?”

“You’re obviously experienced in the ways of war. Would you let me travel with you? I...” Steel resolve filled Lyn’s voice. “I must grow stronger. For my parents… for the Lorca… for myself. And I won’t grow stronger by sitting here. So please, take me with you. Wherever you go, take me with you.”

Terra smiled. “I’m not sure how much swordplay I can teach you, Lyn, but I’d be glad to have you at my side, wherever I go.”

Lyn’s serious look faded, replaced by a relieved grin. She laughed. “It’s decided then!” She announced. “The master tactician and the peerless warrior! Lead on, Terra, and I will follow you, even if it’s to the ends of Elibe!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, AO3. Look! It's my first work on this site! It's been a long time since last I wrote fanfiction, but I've decided to dust off my keyboard and my old copy of FE7 and do some writing. Thanks for reading! Chapter 2 will be up... Hopefully quickly? It's mostly done, I think. After that, I make no promises about Chapter 3. College and Student Teaching eat up a lot of my time, and my friends love to take the rest, but I will do what I can.
> 
> So, Lyn's Story. I really like this part of the game. And not just because it's what I've played most out of FE7. It's a fun story, and a bit smaller scale than most Fire Emblem stories, but less world-threatening events make the story more relatable, in my opinion. Lyn’s story also has a really satisfying conclusion. It's also a really good tutorial section for newer players, even without the tutorial bubbles.
> 
> But yeah, chapter 2 should be up soon-ish? Until next time!


	2. Footsteps of Fate

# Chapter 2: Footsteps of Fate

_The amnesiac tactician Terra and the young swordfighter Lyn. A strange pair on a strange journey. In hopes of finding Terra’s trail, they go to Bulgar, the commercial center of Sacae. But Lyn is unaware that her life is about to change forever._

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

The Eagle’s Nest had made an even dozen inns that Terra had checked today to try to find some trace of her trail. When Lyn had suggested they search Bulgar’s inns for some sign of her travels, Terra hadn’t realized just how daunting of an undertaking that would be. Bulgar was the largest city on the Sacae Plains, and its position between Bern and Ilia, as well as at the eastern termination of the Bern Mountains, made it something of a crossroads. It was a mercantile hub, and its reputation attracted merchants from all across Elibe. And all those merchants needed places to sleep.

They’d arrived in the early morning, and while Lyn worked on acquiring the supplies they’d need for any meaningful trek out of Sacae, Terra had been hunting down inns through the rest of the morning, and past noon. The last eleven inns had all been dead ends, and with at least another dozen or so to go after this, Terra had resigned herself to spending an entire day on this potentially fruitless mission.

Except this one had been different. As luck would have it, Terra had stayed a night in the Eagle’s Nest about a week and a half ago. Which meant that their travelling here hadn’t been in vain. They were on the right track. 

According to the innkeeper, she’d paid with gold from Bern. She wasn’t a miser either. Terra had bought one of her best rooms, ate good food and drank good drink, tipped well, even bought a few rounds for the bar. According to the innkeeper, she’d seemed like she had money to burn, that she couldn’t get rid of it fast enough.

Terra’s initial conclusion was that she’d been robbed. That someone, or even a group of someones, had seen how much money she’d been throwing around, and had decided to try their luck with her. So they’d followed her out onto the plains, robbed her, and left her to die.

But if that were true… Terra felt the bag chained to her belt. Surely, if she’d been robbed, they would have taken that too. So if not a robbery, then what? Lyn hadn’t found her with any supplies, according to what she’d said. Nothing other than what she’d had on her person. So what had happened?

Her rumbling stomach returned her focus to the present. The last she’d eaten had been breakfast that morning, a little after daybreak. Now, in the afternoon, she realized just how hungry running around Bulgar had made her. She weighed the bag of gold that Lyn had given her. The first thing Lyn had done upon entering the city was sell a bunch of furs. She’d given half of that money to Terra, and kept the rest of it for herself to buy supplies for their trip.

The Eagle’s Nest was built on the edge of a large, open square, currently packed full of vendors and buyers. As Terra entered the market, the scents of a dozen different food vendors assaulted her. She tracked down the nearest one, an Ilian vendor, and walked away with a meal of baked potatoes and salted fish. The meal left her with around a hundred gold pieces, and Lyn had told her to check out the vendors...

For a bit, Terra simply walked around the market square, marvelling at the variety of the vendors. A Sacaean fletcher (“Truest arrows on the plains, I promise!”), an Ostian Armorer (“Neither sword nor spell will break this shield!”), a Pherean swordsmith (“You’ll never find a finer blade than this!”), an Ilian recruiter (“See the world from the skies!”), an Etrurian jeweler (“Eburacum Rubies and Sapphires!”) and a Bernese Beastmaster (“Whips! Saddles! Muzzles and more!”) all shouted within thirty feet of each other. 

But eventually, Terra found herself at the stall of a slightly pudgy man in a purple tunic and a pale teal cloak. He greeted her with an ear-to-ear grin and a hearty “Welcome!” Terra looked into his stand. His wares were widely varied: Staves, cloaks and bags, books, a few weapons, some statuettes, jewelry…

“Seems like you’ve got a little bit of everything here, mister…”

“Merlinus!” He offered. “And yes, I collect wares from all across Elibe! Curiosities the world over, each piece with a story all its own!” He paused and looked at Terra with raised brows. “And any one of those stories could continue with you, Miss…”

“Terra.” She looked around his stand with a close eye. “How… How expensive are these curiosities of yours?”

Merlinus smiled. “Well, I suppose that depends on what you mean to buy, and how much you’re willing to spend, doesn’t it? Rest assured, I have developed a fairly good eye for what someone might be able to afford, and you, my friend, seem like you may even qualify for my special discount.”

That got Terra’s attention. “Special discount?”

“Simply put,” Merlinus began, “You’re an adventurer, no doubt about to go on some grand journey. And no doubt, you’ll find some incredible treasures over the course of your journey, or even make your own. And when that day finally comes, and you’ve made your fame and finished your journey, I hope you’ll come find me. Come and tell me your story, and sell me some of your treasures.” He gestured at a rack of weapons to his right. “Not all of my wares are lucky finds, after all.” He cracked a smile at that. “I help you, you help me. You get equipped to go on this grand journey of yours, and I grow my coffers… and eventually, my collection.”

Terra smiled. Merlinus spoke with a youthful excitement, an energy that belied his years, and his speech, while certainly supposed to encourage her to spend her gold on his wares, was filled with sincerity. She pointed to a carved staff leaning against the wall of the stand. “What’s its story?”

Merlinus wheeled and grabbed the staff, presenting it to Terra. “The work of an Ilian craftsman, made from hardy Ilian Pine, and engraved with images of the Scouring, specifically featuring the story of the Ice Dragon of Mount Eremis. The inlay you see, rather than being some precious metal like gold or silver, is actually steel. And while there isn’t one currently set, there is a place at the top of the staff for a magic stone, should you desire function as well as form.” He offered the staff for her to inspect. “The detail of the craftsmanship is exquisite. Take the featured carvings, for example. There are individually carved scales on each image of the Ice Dragon.”

Terra smiled. Merlinus kept talking about the staff, and she found herself marvelling at the carvings he pointed out, and noticing more details on her own. The images of the Scouring seemed to focus on the destruction and death that the war caused, rather than on the glory of the Eight Legends. She had to admit, the man’s excitement was contagious. 

Terra set the staff on the counter in front of her, and looked back into the stand, thoughtfully.  
“If milady is looking for something in particular,” Merlinus offered, “but doesn’t see it here, this is only about half of my wares. Come back tomorrow, and I’ll have the rest of it set up here.”

Terra shook her head. “That’s fine. We’re probably leaving today, anyways. I actually wanted to hear about that bag.” She pointed to a courier bag sitting furthest to the left in a set of five bags hanging from hooks on a stand.

Merlinus confirmed her bag choice, then brought it forward. “This bag belonged to a smuggler from the Western Isles. It’s enchanted to be light as a feather, no matter what you put into it. And it has a few hidden pouches and pockets. It’s ruggedly made, large enough to fit most of what you might want it for. And weatherproof when properly used.” 

Terra took the bag. It was impressively light. Maybe not light as a feather, per se, but definitely lighter than a bag of its size ought to have been. She opened it, and was surprised to see a pair of clay bricks sitting in the bag. She pulled one out, impressed. Now came the big question. “How much for them?”

Merlinus looked at the items in thought for a moment, then back to Terra, his features distorted in contemplation. “A hundred twenty.” He finally said.

“Eighty.” Terra countered. “You said it yourself. I’m off on a grand journey. I deserve a discount.”

“Milady, you’re already receiving the discount.” Merlinus smiled a wide smile, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “But tell me about this grand journey of yours!”

Terra paused for a moment, trying to think of a way to embellish her tale, to sell herself to this merchant, before realizing that wasn’t what the man before her wanted. “I’m an amnesiac on my way to discover my past.” She told him. “I don’t know where this journey will take me, or what I’ll learn about myself along the way. But the past beckons.”

Merlinus gave a hearty laugh. “Well, I can’t say that I’ve ever heard such a tale before.” He took a moment to contemplate this new information, then looked back at Terra, his contagious grin growing to an impossible size. “Eighty-five.” He said. “And the story when you know it.”

Terra smiled back. “Sold!” She deposited her bag of gold onto the counter, and grabbed the staff and bag. A little later, she was off, bag slung over her shoulder, staff in hand, and coin purse much lighter.

*** *** *** *** ***

The next morning, Terra and Lyn enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in. They ate a small meal in the inn, and were about thirty minutes out of the gate when Lyn realized that she’d forgotten to buy something important at the general store: she hadn’t found Terra with a waterskin or canteen, and having recently lost one herself, Lyn was down a spare to give her. The issue had come up on their way into Bulgar, but it had slipped their minds until Terra had realized their mistake on the road. So they turned themselves around, and got Terra a canteen. Terra was joking with Lyn about it as she untied Rhea from the post out front, when they were interrupted.

“Oh my heart! Such a dazzling display of loveliness!”

Lyn and Terra turned to see a brown-haired man in green armor riding towards them, a playful smile on his face and light dancing in his eyes. He wore no sword at his hip, but kept a spear across his back. Lyn hastened in untying Rhea, but the new arrival seemed not to notice.

“O fair and beautiful ones! Would you do me the honor of favoring me with your names?” His goofy grin widened. “Better yet, might you grant me the gift of your company this fine day?”

Lyn stopped untying Rhea, and turned, annoyance clear on her features, to face the rider. Terra began in her place, but struggled with the knot. “Where are you from, sir knight, that you choose to speak so freely to strangers?” There was a bit of a harsh edge to her voice, but the man before them, either willfully ignorant or blissfully unaware, didn’t seem to catch it.

“I am a knight of Lycia, milady!” He declared proudly, dismounting. “I hail from the canton of Caelin, home to men of passion and fire!”

“Perhaps that should be ‘home to callow oafs with loose tongues.’” Lyn replied, the edge in her voice holding.

The man pressed on. “Ah! Your venomous tongue wounds me thus!” His hand clenched over his heart. “Such a beautiful rose surely has thorns! But thorns make such a flower all the sweeter!”

“I am not some flower for you to have, knight!” Lyn said angrily. “And you-”

“Damnit, Sain!” A new voice called. All heads turned to see a new rider, with short, fiery hair and dark red armor, approaching. 

“Ah, Kent! My boon companion!” Sain said. “Why the severe face?” 

Kent’s frown didn’t falter as he dismounted. “You leave my sight for less than five minutes, and somehow you’ve already begun harassing the townspeople!” He shook his head. “If you’d applied the same effort to your training as you did your ill-fated attempts to consort with every woman you met, you’d be the most fearsome knight in Caelin!” Kent paused, and took a deep breath, the hint of a smile showing through. “If you would but hold your tongue, I wouldn’t need to be so severe.”

Finally, Terra finished untying Rhea from the post, and was ready to leave, but noticed too late that the way the pair of cavaliers had stopped, they were boxing her and Lyn in. She cleared her throat to spea-

“Hold my tongue?” Sain replied, aghast. “In the presence of such beauty? It would be discourteous!”

“Excu-”

“And what would you know of courtesy?” Kent shot back.

“EXCUSE ME!” Terra roared. Surprised, all eyes turned to her. “Argue amongst yourselves elsewhere, if you’d please. Your horses are trapping us in.”

Kent’s eyes widened. “O-of course. My apologies, milady.” He moved his horse aside, and Sain followed.

Lyn sighed in relief. “Thank you. You, at least, seem to have some honor.”

Kent smiled slightly, and opened his mouth to speak, but he paused, and a frown fell over his face. “My apologies, milady,” he said to Lyn, “but have we met before? You seem familiar.”

“I beg your pardon?” Lyn said, the edge in her voice returning with her frown.

Before Kent could speak further, though, Sain interjected. “That’s not fair, Kent! I met them first!”

Lyn sighed, and shook her head. “It seems I was wrong. There are no decent men among Lycia’s knights.” She grabbed Rhea’s reins, and led her forward. “Come on, Terra. I’ve lost my patience with these galivants.”

“Wait, please!” Kent called after them. “It’s not like that!”

Lyn and Terra disappeared into the crowded market beyond the shop, though, and did their best to escape the notice of the knights. They managed to get slip away from the pair, and were off to truly begin their journey.

*** *** *** *** ***

“We’re being followed.” Terra said. They’d been walking along from Bulgar for about half an hour, following the road out of its southeastern gate. She’d been seeing glimpses of people through the trees every now and then, and had initially thought nothing of it, until she’d seen the glint of metal in the sunlight.

Lyn nodded. “I saw them too. They’re probably bandits.” Lyn stopped. “There’s too many of them for us to handle ourselves.” She began turning around. “We should head ba-”

A trio of men had stepped out onto the path leading back to Bulgar. They carried an axe each, and made no attempt to hide their weapons. One man grinned, baring his teeth like a predator closing on its prey. He chuckled darkly as he approached. Terra turned around to see that the men approaching them weren’t alone. Three more had appeared behind. They were surrounded. Trapped.

“Aren’t you a pretty pair!” The grinning man said. Terra backed up slowly, keeping Lyn at her back as she held her staff out in front. “You, with the sword. You’re Lyndis, right?”

“What did you call me?” Terra felt Lyn bump into her from behind. The bandits in front of Terra edged closer. “Who are you?”

“Such a waste.” He said with a shake of his head. “What an absolute waste. The things I do for gold.” He shrugged. “Oh well, I guess we only need to kill one of you.” The bandits pushed closer. Terra’s grip on the staff tightened. It felt heavy and solid in her hands. She didn’t like the odds she had for fighting these bandits off with it, but she figured any chance was worth the shot.

“Fine! Come on then!” Lyn shouted. “If you want my life, come take it!”

A tense silence hung in the air, but Terra heard something cut through it. Soon, everyone heard it: Rumbling hooves. Two sets. A shout cut through the air, and Terra smiled in relief as she recognized the voice.

“Over here!” Sain’s voice rang out from the path towards Bulgar. Then, moments later, horse and rider thundered into view, lance bared and braced for the charge. The bandits scattered, but Sain’s charge struck home, and the knight’s lance impaled the unlucky brigand. Sain tore his weapon from the corpse, and wheeled around to watch the bandits flee and regroup. “Cowards! You gang up on a pair of young women, but flee the moment you find yourselves challenged? Cowards, I say!”

Kent rode up soon after, sword drawn and at the ready. “Miladies,” he said, “it would appear that these ruffians wish to do you harm. If they wish to fight, then they shall face me this day!”

“Stand back, ladies!” Sain added. “We’ll handle this!”

“I will not stand aside and watch!” Lyn growled. “I will fight! And you two will not stop me!”

“Well, we will not simply stand back either!” Sain countered. “Our honor demands-”

“Would you accept us as subordinates, then?” Kent spoke quickly. “We will accept your command, if you would give us orders.”

Lyn paused, clearly thrown by this sudden development, and looked first at Kent and Sain, and then to Terra, who relaxed, and spoke. “Yes, we will accept your aid as such.”

“Thank you.” Kent said with a nod. “My name is Kent. My companion, Sain, and I are knights of Lycia. Do my new commanders have names?” Kent asked.

“My name is Terra. My companion is Lyn. I’m something of a tactician.”

Kent nodded, and Terra caught a small smile flash across his features, before quickly being replaced by his normal severity. Sain loudly proclaimed, “Then lead us on! Your faithful servants await your command!”

Terra took a moment to survey their field of battle. They stood atop a gently sloped hillside, generously covered by scattered copses of trees. It dipped down towards a river and lake below, before jutting sharply up again to the north-east. The scattered forms of the remaining bandits milled about below, with the closest skulking in a nearby stand of pine.

Terra directed the group towards the nearby foe, and together, Lyn and the knights made short work of the bandit. At her direction, the knights used their superior mobility to pin down the bandit, with Lyn delivering the killing blow. Lyn seemed a bit slow to warm up to the knights, or perhaps she was just unused to fighting as a part of a group. She was aggressive, and sometimes her aggression put her in the way of her allies. However, Lyn was not the only one at fault here. Terra had no real point of reference, but Sain seemed to add some unneeded flourish to his attacks. Was he still trying to impress them?

“Sain.” Terra caught his attention as they moved towards the next foe.

“Yes, Milady?” Sain with a small bow and a large grin.

“Stow your lance and draw your sword.” Terra said.

Sain’s grin shrank. “Ah, must I, Commander? The lance is the more heroic weapon, don’t you think?”

“I don’t care about your ‘heroics,’ Sain. We’re looking at doing battle in the woods. It will be no place for a cavalry charge, and a lance is unwieldy in the tighter confines. There’s nothing ‘heroic’ about dying a bloody death because your spear got caught on a low branch as you brought it about.”

Sain grimaced. “Of course. Err… I, uh, I’m afraid I…” He mumbled the rest incoherently.

“I’m sorry, you what?”

“I don’t have one.” Sain said sheepishly, wearing a nervous smile.

Terra frowned, confused. “Is Caelin so poor that it cannot afford to equip-.”

“No, of course not!” Sain shouted in protest. “Caelin’s knights are granted a generous stipend to equip and maintain their arms, armor, and mounts! I just… forgot to buy a sword.”

“Again?” Kent asked, disappointment clear in his voice as he rode over. “What, were you too busy flirting with the smith’s daughter again?”

“In my defense,” Sain supplied, “it’s not as bad as last time! I remembered to buy a new lance! And I bought replacement horseshoes, too! I just… forgot the sword.” Sain’s nervous smile returned.

Kent sighed, and unfastened a second sword from his saddle, handing the weapon to Sain. “You’re lucky that I overpack, you dolt.” Kent said. “You’re almost more trouble than you’re worth.” His voice was severe enough, but he couldn’t wipe the small smile from his face. “Almost.”

From there, the group swept down the hill and across the river, moving quickly from bandit to bandit. Their flight after the knights had joined the battle had split them apart, making them easy pickings. Their group swept through the enemy under Terra’s command, before finally intercepting the last of their scattered foes: the group’s apparent leader, who’d called them a ‘pretty pair.’

“Damn knights!” the man cursed. “You always got to meddle in others’ business!” But he, like the rest of the bandits, was taken down by their coordinated assault, muttering something under his last breath. When he finally fell, Terra breathed a sigh of relief. The fight was over.

“That’s the last of them.” Terra said.

“We did it, Terra!” Lyn said proudly. 

Terra smiled, and turned to face the knights. “And now that our danger is passed, what are you doing here? Why did you follow us?”

“We believe that Lyn may be the person we’ve been searching for.” Kent said.

Lyn’s brow furrowed. “And why would two knights of Lycia be looking for a girl of the plains?”

“We weren’t.” Sain said. “Not at first, at least. We came here first to look for the lady Madelyn, who eloped with a Sacaean nomad nearly two decades ago.”

Lyn’s eyes lit up at that name. “_Lady_ Madelyn?”

“Our lord, Marquess Caelin’s, only daughter.” Sain supplied. “He was heartbroken when she left, that his own daughter would abandon him. Eventually, the marquess simply declared that he had no daughter.”

“But just this year,” Kent continued, “we recieved a letter from Lady Madelyn. In it, she wrote that she was living happily with her husband and daughter on the Sacae plains. The marquess was ecstatic to learn that he had a granddaughter of 18 years.” Kent smiled. “I remember the smile on his face when he announced that he was suddenly a grandfather. His granddaughter’s name is Lyndis, named in honor of the marchioness, who died early into his rule.”

“It thawed the Marquess’ heart to hear that she should bear this name.” Sain said, smiling. “Now, his only wish is to meet with his daughter’s family, at least once. That’s why we came here.” Sain’s smile disappeared, and his face fell. “We… we didn’t know that Lady Madelyn and her husband died a few days after she sent the letter. It wasn’t until we arrived here in Bulgar that we heard.”

“But we also learned that her daughter was still alive.” Kent picked up. “We heard that she was living alone on the plains.” He looked at Lyn. “When first saw you, I knew it had to be you. You are the lady Lyndis.”

“Why would you think that?” Lyn asked.

“You look like your mother.” Kent said simply. “I never had the pleasure of meeting her in person, but there are portraits of her in Castle Caelin. Your resemblance to her is remarkable.”

Lyn paused, staring off into the distance, a smile on her face. “To the rest of my tribe, I was always Lyn. But when I was with my parents…” Tears began welling up in her eyes. “When it was just the three of us, I was Lyndis.” She sniffed, and wiped her eyes. “It’s all so strange. I was all alone in the world, and now… I have a grandfather now.” She sighed. “Lyndis… I thought I would never hear that name again.”

The group was silent for a time, before Lyn spoke again, this time with a note of confusion and worry in her voice. “Wait! That bandit! He called me Lyndis too!”

Kent frowned. “What? How is that pos-”

“Lundgren must have hired him.” Sain said.

“Who’s Lundgren?” Terra asked.

“Lundgren is the Marquess’s younger brother.” Kent explained. “With Lady Madelyn dead, Lundgren would be the heir to the marquess’s title.”

“To put it bluntly,” Sain concluded, “your very existence is an obstacle to your granduncle’s ambitions.”

“What? That- but-” Lyn sputtered. “But I don’t _want_ the title! I have no interest in becoming marquess!”

Sain shrugged. “Your granduncle is unfortunately not the sort of man to believe that, milady. Even if you go back to the plains and try to live out your days there, I believe the attempts on your life will continue.”

Lyn’s shoulders slumped. “But then… what can I do?”

“Come with us to Caelin.” Kent supplied. “Continuing on your own would be dangerous, and this would be the best way to stop the attempts on your life.”

Lyn sighed. “I don’t think I have any other options, do I? Fine. I will go with you.”

She shook her head, and turned to face Terra. “I’m sorry, Terra.” She began. “This changes everything. I promised that I would help you on your journey, to help you find yourself… but I have a chance to meet my grandfather, and I want to take it, and your companionship would definitely ease my journey.” She sighed. “I understand if you want to part ways here.”

Terra frowned. “Part ways? Now? Never!” She smiled. “I’ll go with you, Lyn. I’ll help you on your journey.”

Lyn smiled wide, and hugged Terra. “Oh, thank you, Terra! I’m glad you’ll stay with me!”

“To the ends of Elibe, right?” Terra asked.

Lyn laughed. “To the ends of Elibe!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I did it! Chapter 2 up in less than a week!
> 
> So yeah, early cameo of Merlinus. He's a pretty fun character to write when he's in his element. Also the first chapter with an entire scene that isn't anywhere in the game itself. I had a lot of fun writing this one.
> 
> And... that's it. Not much to say today. I'm working on Chapter 3, promise.


	3. Inheritance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, just a quick heads-up. This chapter gets really... REALLY heavy at the end. There's a bit of mood whiplash, and things kind of explode. I just want to make sure I bring this up because it's an added scene, not one found in the game, and I don't want you to be caught off-guard.

# Chapter 3: Inheritance

_A small altar lies on the outskirts of Bulgar. This ancient temple, sacred to the people of Sacae, has long been known for its powerful bond to the world of spirits. Before starting their journey, Lyn asks the group to make a quick detour to the temple to pray for their well-being. At this altar, the group will be guided to a grand inheritance…_

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

“It’s smaller than I thought it would be.” Sain said as they approached the temple. “I mean, I knew it probably wouldn’t be some grand cathedral, like you sometimes see dedicated to Elimine, but…” he shrugged. “The way you talked it up, I guess I just thought it would be bigger than this. I like it, though. It’s private. Personal.”

“You said we were here to pray to a sword?” Kent asked.

Lyn nodded enthusiastically. “The Mani Katti. According to our traditions, it and its sister sword, the Sol Katti, were wielded by Hanon’s children in the days after the Scouring. The Sol Katti, blessed by the sun, was granted the power to slay dragons, which still roamed the land, even after the Scouring had ended. The Mani Katti, on the other hand, was blessed by the moon, and is said to protect its wielder from harm. So the legend goes, Hanon’s son died in battle, wielding the Sol Katti to kill the Last Dragon of Sacae. However, her daughter, who wielded the Mani Katti, survived the battle. So now, the People of Sacae pray to the Mani Katti before leaving on any major journey, so that they may also have its protection.”

Kent smiled. “I see. What of the temple’s bond to the world of spirits? You mentioned something about that, too.”

“Well,” Lyn began, “according to the legend, this was where their battle with the Last Dragon of Sacae took place. The story goes that when Hanon’s son died here, her daughter buried him here, built the temple atop his grave, and prayed at its altar for her brother’s spirit every night for the rest of her life. It is by her strength of spirit that this place’s bond to the realm of spirits is so strong.”

“Well, thank you for the lesson, and for bringing us here.” Sain said.

Kent hummed his agreement. “The teachings of Elimine are more common across the rest of Elibe. It’s interesting to learn more about the people of Sacae and their beliefs.”

Their conversation drew to a close as a woman came running towards the group. As she came, Terra saw Kent’s hand come to rest on his sword, and he nudged his horse forward a bit, so that he came up from his place beside Lyn to be just forward of her, while still off to the side.

“Excuse me! Are you headed to the temple?” There was an edge of hope and urgency in her voice.

Lyn nodded. “Indeed we are.”

“Then please hurry!” The woman pointed in the temple’s direction, her voice rising. “The priest needs your help! I saw a band of local ruffians go in not too long ago. I think they went to steal the altar’s sacred sword!”

Lyn’s eyes widened. “They want to steal the Mani Katti? That’s terrible! I won’t let it happen!”

The woman relaxed slightly, and smiled. “Thank you!” Then, the woman ran south, towards a small village nearby.

“Lyn, what are you planning?” Sain asked.

“If you’re going to rush to the priest’s aid, you’ll want to prepare first.” Kent added.

Terra nodded. “The woman said that the ruffians are a local group. That means they probably have a good knowledge of the area. Kent, Sain, I need you to ride to the village. Ask around, see what kind of information you can get.” The knights assented, and rode south. “Lyn, it looks like there are a few bandits outside of the temple’s walls. We can get started on dealing with them.”

Together, they moved towards the temple. The first bandit was prowling along the temple’s western wall, and when he saw the pair approaching, he shouted a battle cry, and came charging at the pair. Lyn, for her part, stood her ground, and waited for her foe to make his approach. When the brigand finally arrived, Lyn easily dodged away from his bold charge, and fell upon her foe like a beast to its kill. Her sword flashed in the noon sun, cutting bloody rifts across the bandit’s body. He fell to the ground.

Then, two more battle cries rose from the south. There, a pair of bandits quite literally began to descend upon them, rushing down the hills, following the village’s wall north towards Lyn and Terra. Lyn readied herself again for the charging bandits, but the sound of hoofbeats heralded the return of the knights. They intercepted the charging bandits with a thundering charge of their own, swords at the ready. Lyn charged to join the fray, but by the time Lyn had closed the distance, the knights had hacked the bandits into bloody corpses.

“What did you learn in the village?” Terra asked.

“The hills to the south are rough and rocky.” Kent said. “Too treacherous for our horses to cross safely.”

“However, there is another potential way in.” Sain added. “The temple’s western wall has fallen into disrepair. Wind and weather have taken their toll on it, and one section in particular is practically crumbling. We may be able to make ourselves an entrance of our own.”

Terra nodded. “I’m not sure I like the idea of damaging a holy place, but if it’s our best way to get in and save the priest and the relics, I guess we’ll just have to hope the spirits understand.”

It didn’t take them long to find the spot. Loose stones and crumbling mortar marked the spot. Kent and Sain took their spears, and used their butts to knock loose the stones. Working together, they were able to open up a hole large enough to get through in a few moments. Lyn was the first to burst through the hole, with the cavaliers following quickly behind, and Terra bringing up the rear, hanging back near their new entrance.

A group of four bandits occupied the temple. One, a swordsman, stood near the temple’s altar, blade at the ready. The other three, two near the temple’s entrance and one in the middle, were armed with axes. All were caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of Lyn and the knights through the temple’s wall. The knights immediately split off to deal with the bandits near the entrance, and Lyn charged the one in the middle of the temple. Terra watched her deliver a swift succession of strikes into her hapless foe, who crumpled into a bloody heap.

“Lyn, roll my way!” Terra shouted. Lyn, caught off guard by Terra’s shout, hesitated, and in that moment’s pause, the swordsman completed his charge, crashing into her shoulder first. Lyn rolled with the force of the charge and hopped up, dodging away from the bandit’s follow-through. His sword came within a foot of Lyn’s stomach and clanged against a stone pillar. 

“Who do you think you are?” The swordsman shouted, returning to a ready stance. “I am Glass, peerless swordsman! What chance do you think you have against me?”

Lyn assumed her own ready stance, and the two stood there for a tense moment. Glass looked past Lyn, to the knights as they finished up the last of his allies. Something in his eyes shifted, and he charged…

Right for Terra.

“You’re in my way!” He cried, swinging his sword at her. Terra raised the staff to block, but Glass’s swing knocked the staff out of her hands, and it clattered to the floor far from Terra’s reach. His second swing met some resistance from Terra’s cloak, but not enough to stop the blade, which sank into Terra’s upper arm. Terra screamed in pain, broke away, and clutched at her new wound. 

Glass didn’t go much further, though, as Lyn fell screaming upon him, her sword a blur. Glass struggled to keep up with her ferocious assault, but he was ultimately too slow. Lyn slipped a downward past his faltering guard, and her sword slammed into his shoulder. Glass hissed, and stumbled backwards. Lyn capitalized on the swing in initiative, and pressed her attack, this time driving her sword into his thigh. The blade sank in, and blood began to pour from the wound. Glass swore, and tried for one more swing, only to be struck down by Kent’s spear as he joined the fray.

“Terra!” Lyn cried, running to her friend. “Are you alright?”

Terra gritted her teeth and nodded. “I’ll be fine. I just need some of the vulnerary from your bag.”

“No, please.” A new voice said. “Allow me.” Terra looked up to see an old man dressed in blue-grey robes and a dark blue hood approaching, staff in hand. “The least I can do for this temple’s saviors is tend to your wounds.” He raised the staff, and a blue halo enveloped Terra. The pain vanished from her wound, replaced by an odd tingling that morphed into an incessant itch. She watched as the wound closed and knitted itself back together. Soon, all that was left to suggest that her wound ever existed was a small scar, a hole in her garb, and a fading itch.

“Ah, your clothing!” The priest exclaimed, turning to Lyn. “You’re from the Lorca tribe, are you not?”

Lyn nodded. “I am Lyn, the chieftain’s daughter. These are my allies.” She introduced Terra, Kent, and Sain. “Thank you for healing my friend. Are you hurt?”

The priest bowed slightly. “Thanks to your timely intervention, I am unscathed. You have my gratitude.”

“And what of the sword?” Lyn asked. “Is the Mani Katti safe?”

“Yes.” The priest walked back to the altar, where a sheathed sword lay in a mount. Terra saw a faint shimmering in the air surrounding the sword. “I have sealed the sword safely away. Until I remove my spell from the altar, the sword cannot be drawn from its scabbard.” He waved his hands over the sword, and the shimmering vanished. He picked up the sword from its resting place, and turned to the group. “As a token of my gratitude, I shall allow you to lay your hands on the Mani Katti.” He smiled at Lyn. “Come, touch the sheath’s pattern, and offer your prayers for a safe journey.”

Lyn’s eyes lit up at the offer. “Oh, thank you so much!” She walked forward, and when the priest held out the sword, she placed her hands on it reverently, and closed her eyes. Her lips moved in silent prayer. As she spoke, Terra saw that the sword began to glow slightly.

The priest seemed to notice as well, and he made a sound of mixed confusion and amazement. Lyn opened her eyes to see what was going on in time for the sword’s glow to reach a peak, flooding the temple with a warm light, before returning to a dull glow.

“The sword’s glowing… What’s going on? What did I do?” Lyn’s expression was filled with worry.

“Hmm, I… I see.” The priest smiled gently. “Lyn, you and your friends are witnesses to something truly special. What you behold now is the power of the spirits.” He looked up, right into Lyn’s eyes. “Lyn, the spirits have looked into your soul, and now they call out to you.”

Lyn’s concern morphed into confusion. “What does that mean? Why are they calling to me?”

“They have judged you worthy.” The priest explained. “You are the sword’s rightful owner. You are to wield the Mani Katti.”

Once more, Lyn’s face shifted, this time to surprise. “N-no! The Mani Katti is… I can’t take the… It’s… You ask too much of me.”

The priest shook his head. “Lyn, I ask nothing of you. It is the sword’s own wish. But I can see that you still need convincing. Here.” He held out the sword to Lyn. “Take the Mani Katti for a moment.”

Lyn hesitated for a moment, then carefully took the sword from the priest.

“Good. Now draw the Mani Katti from its sheath.”

Again, Lyn hesitated, but she did as the priest asked, and drew the Mani Katti. As she did, Terra swore she heard the sword sing as it left its sheath. As she drew the sword, its glow intensified again, though not to the strength it had shown earlier.

“It came out so easily.” She said softly. “There was no resistance. It’s almost… It’s like the sword _wants_ me to wield it.”

“I never dared to think that I would meet the wielder of the Mani Katti in my lifetime.” The priest said softly. “I am indeed fortunate to see your sword safely to your hands.” Then, his voice filled with resolve. “You will face a great many ordeals, Lyn. Take your sword, and face them head-on.”

“My sword…” Lyn whispered. She nodded, and her face filled with resolve. “Yes, thank you!”

The priest smiled, and turned to face Terra and the knights. His eyes fell on Terra, and Terra saw something in them change. 

“A moment before you leave on your journey?” The priest asked. “I have one more thing to bestow upon you. Something for Terra.”

“For me?”

The priest nodded. “Not another relic, but something precious all the same.” He turned and walked into the back room. Lyn shot a questioning look to Terra, who shrugged.

The priest returned with a cloth-wrapped bundle. “Today is truly a blessed day. Not only have I met the warrior chosen by the Mani Katti, but I also get to fulfill a promise I made so long ago.”

He unwrapped the bundle, revealing a pair of books. One, the larger of the two, looked to be a blue and white spell tome with a yellow circle emblazoned on the front cover. The other one was a medium-sized leather-bound book. “I was not always the priest of this temple.” The priest began. “Once, a lifetime ago, I was an adventurer, on my own grand journey, alongside people who would become close friends.” His gaze grew distant, and a sad smile grew on his face, but he refocused, pushing his reverie away for the moment. “One of them was our guardian spirit, our guiding star. A cunning tactician named Kaia.”

_Kaia._ That name cut through the fog, rang clear in Terra’s ears. _Kaia._ She knew that name. Had heard it before.

“To say she was incredible wouldn’t do her justice. She was the reason so many of us were able to emerge from that journey alive. And when our journey was over, after we had all gone our separate ways, and I had become this temple’s caretaker, she came to me. She told me to keep these safe. That I would know when it was time to hand them off again.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Terra said suddenly. “I just… I don’t know what you’re talking about. Most of my memories are lost to me. The name sounds familiar, but I...” She shook her head and sighed. “I just don’t know.”

“Then allow me to tell you.” The priest looked into Terra’s eyes. His eyes, once tired and melancholic, shone bright like stars. “Terra, you are the spitting image of Kaia. Perhaps you are related somehow, her child or grandchild. Or maybe… Maybe, in my old age, my mind is playing tricks on me. But either way, I believe that the time has come for me to pass these on, and I believe that you are the one who is meant to take them.” 

He held out the leather book first, which Terra took. “This is Kaia’s journal. It is a treasure trove of tactical notes, battle plans, detailed maps. If you are a tactician, then I believe that they may be useful reading.” Then, he handed her the spell tome. “This is the tome she carried to defend herself on the battlefield. She called it Daybreak. I pray that it serves you well.” Terra inspected the tome. It appeared to have been used and replenished multiple times. 

“I’ve never heard of a tome by that name.” Kent said. “What does it do?”

“Daybreak channels the strength of the sun.” The priest explained. “Its pages unleash beams of solar energy.”

“I thank you for these books,” Terra began with a bow, “But I am no mage or priest. I doubt that I will be able to use Daybreak. I do thank you for her journal, though. It will be a great boon to me.”

The priest simply smiled. “Simply being able to fulfill my promise was more than enough.” He bowed to the group. “Thank you. May the spirits protect you on your journey.”

*** *** *** *** ***

After they set up camp for the night, and eaten their fill, Lyn took the Mani Katti off of her belt, and took a moment to admire it.

“So this is the Mani Katti, huh?” Sain said. “The sword of the moon.”

Lyn shook her head. “I still can’t believe it. This is the most famous sword in Sacae… and it’s mine.”

“It’s not so strange.” Kent said. “There are many legends which tell of similar tales. Special blades all across Elibe which call out to their proper owners. And yet...” He paused briefly before continuing. “And yet, when I saw you draw that blade, Lyndis… I felt something extraordinary. That sword was waiting for you. You were meant to draw it. You were meant to wield it.”

Lyn blushed, and shook her head. “Stop it! I… I’m not so special!”

Sain grinned. “Ah, think of it this way, then: some weapons feel more comfortable in your hands than others, right?” Lyn nodded. “Well, the Mani Katti feels the same way about you. _It _feels comfortable with _you_. I’d wager it would refuse any of the rest of us outright if we tried to wield it. It’s like you said in the temple. It _wants_ you to wield it.”

Lyn held the sword in her hands. “It… It does feel right in my hand.” She smiled. “A sword that only I can wield... The Mani Katti is _my_ sword.” She looked at it again. “I have to take good care of it. One day, I hope to return it to its place in that temple. But until then...” 

She laid her hands on the sword, and offered up another prayer on the sword. When she finished, she passed the sword to Kent, with a smile and a nod, and he offered up his own short prayer on the sword. He passed it to Sain, who took it and did the same, before passing it to Terra, who took it, and laid her own hands on it in prayer. She offered up a prayer for safety on their coming journey. A prayer for the skill to lead their group. A prayer to maybe, just maybe, learn more about her past, about Kaia.

Then, she passed the sword back to Lyn, who took it with a smile. “I’ll take the first watch. You guys get some rest.”

Sain and Kent began to protest, but Terra was fine with this arrangement, and began her preparations to sleep.

*** *** *** *** ***

_Why am I alive? Why did she spare me? Why did I stay here? I look over to where she sits, deep in prayer. She does this every night. Ever since the fight nearly six months ago, since her brother’s death, she has prayed nightly. No matter how tired she is, how weary the day has made her, and there have been some very weary days. No matter what, she sits at the altar, and prays. _

_I’ve thought it over in my mind again and again. She had me dead to rights. Flat on my back. Defenseless. And then she let me live. Even after killing her brother, she let me live. Just turned and walked to his corpse. Why did she let me live?_

_“Why?”_

_ **Why? What does she mean, why? ** _

_ **“There are a lot of ‘whys’ in this world. You’ll need to be more specific.”** _

_ **“Why didn’t you kill me?”** _

_ **Ah, that why. Well, I can’t say that I wasn’t expecting this question. She deserves an answer, right? Let’s see, how do I… Um… Explaining this to her is going to be harder than just knowing my reason myself, isn’t it?** _

_ **Well, I guess we’ll start with that. “Have you ever noticed how similar we look?”** _

_ **“What?” She’s looking at me like I’m crazy.** _

_ **“I guess not. Look at me. Look closely.”** _

_Fine, let’s see… _

_…_

_…_

_…_

_Oh, Tiamat, she’s right. It’s not something I noticed when I first looked at her, but she’s... she’s got the dark green hair. The lean build. The scars… we both have so many scars. And her eyes are the same dark green as mine... I'd probably think we were from the same brood if I didn't know any better._

_Shit I’m staring at her eyes. “Uh, yeah, I guess I can see what you mean. What about it?”_

_“When you’re fighting a dragon, it’s easy to convince yourself that you’re fighting a monster. That your opponent is something inhuman, unnatural. That you’re an other. That’s... That’s much harder to do when you’re staring at something that looks so much like you.”_

_A monster? An other? Is that all my friends were to you? Is that how you feel? After all of this?_

_“And when you were laying there, you had this look in your eyes. Not the anger I was expecting, but a deep, primal fear. And in that moment… in that moment, I realized that you didn’t want to fight us. That we’d cornered you and forced you into a battle you didn’t want. You were afraid to die.”_

_ **“Spare me your fucking pity.” ** _

_ **Oh shit, I messed up. Fuck, no, I explained that badly, didn’t I? “I- I’m sorry. I-”** _

_ **“You should be sorry! You won! You already won! You fought dragons to near-extinction! Humanity decided that centuries of peace and prosperity meant nothing, and waged a genocidal war on us! Your so-called heroes slaughtered us by the hundreds! Your mother shot a dozen of my friends in the back when we tried to run! YOU FUCKING WON! But that wasn’t enough, was it? Near-genocide wasn’t enough, was it? You learn that there’s a few dragons trying to scrape by on the plains, out of the way, and you decide that you can’t have that! You had to go ALL THE FUCKING WAY! YOU HAD TO KILL US ALL! YOU TOOK AWAY EVERYTHING I HAD LEFT!”** _

_ **Spirits, I… I’m so sorry, I… “I-“** _

_ **“I hope your peace of mind was worth your brother’s death.”** _

_ **… I… my… ** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **…** _

_ **I didn’t realize you still carried all of that pain with you. All of that anger. That hate. You kept it all bottled up. You buried it, swallowed it down. And then a few careless words made everything worse. I should have known better than to think that you'd just move on from that kind of loss, especially with how I felt about losing my brother. I should have realized…** _

_ **There’s so much I couldn’t tell you after you left. Like how I saw myself in you. How seeing you there made me think about my own life, my own mortality. How much it meant to me when you helped me to build the temple. . How much I wanted you to stay with me.** _

_ **I kept praying after you left. But there is more for me to pray for now. I pray that, wherever you are, you find peace. I pray that one day, a world might exist where my children and yours can once again live together in peace. ** _

_ **I pray that one day, you might forgive me.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. You ever start writing something, intending for it to be one way, but as you write it, it just organically turns into something completely different? Yeah, that dream at the end took, like, three different forms over the course of writing this chapter.
> 
> Also, more world-building! There's a lot of fun to be had with world-building in this fic, because there's a lot of cool stuff that we learn about Elibe as a setting in FE6 and FE7, but there are also a lot of blanks left, which I can have fun filling in.
> 
> Chapter 4 to come next. See you then!


	4. Band of Mercenaries

# Chapter 4: Band of Mercenaries

_To meet her grandfather, Lyn heads west, to Lycia, and to her destiny. A mountain range separates the Sacae Plains from Bern. There are many bandits lurking here, the cruelest of which are the Taliver. They wreak havoc on both Sacae and Bern, and their savagery knows no bounds. On her tenth day away from the plains, Lyn is reminded of their atrocities._

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

_… When battle must take place in populated areas, it is best practice to do what one can to avoid excessive collateral damage to the area. If possible, civilians should be directed to remain in their dwellings, and to secure the entrances to such. Doing so provides the added benefit of removing potential distractions from the battlefield, and efforts to protect the populace from opposing forces can improve the standing of your own forces in the eyes of the people of the area. However, a tactician’s first responsibility is always to their own soldiers, not to exposed civilians, and as such, a tactician must never place excessive risk upon their own soldiers to save the lives of civilians who find themselves in the crossfire… _

“-ook out! Terra! Look out!”

Terra looked up from her reading, and stepped to the side, avoiding the large, low-hanging branch she was about to walk into. “Sorry. Thanks, Lyn.” She closed Kaia’s journal and stowed the book in her bag. She shifted her staff back to her right hand, and watched the road ahead as she walked. From what she’d read of Kaia’s journal, she was a very pragmatic woman, and one who valued the well-being of her soldiers above all else. On the one hand, Terra could certainly understand not wanting to lose Lyn, or Kent, or Sain. But the thought of ignoring civilians in need of help didn’t sit right with her. If they needed help, she should do everything she could… right?

Terra saw it first. There were faint wisps of smoke rising up from a spot just beyond the next hill. Terra pointed it out, and urged the group forward. They crested the hill, and saw a small village nestled into the valley below. Half the buildings in the village were smoldering husks, or shattered piles of stone and timber. Walls stood half-erected within and around the town.

The group stood there, on the peak of the hill, in silence for a moment.

Terra broke the silence first. “This place. It’s…”

“Half of the town is either burnt or broken.” Sain said with a shake of his head. “Where is their marquess? Why do they have no help?”

“Taliver Mountain is home to a gang of vicious, ruthless bandits.” Lyn said. “No marquess holds power here.” Her gaze grew distant. Terra recognized the new look in her eyes. “My village was near here. Just on the other side of the mountain. The Taliver came in the night. It… they only needed one night. My people were… counting myself, less than ten survived.”

Then, Lyn’s face hardened, and her distant gaze grew fierce and focused. She looked off into the distance, in the direction of a nearby peak. “The Taliver are soulless beasts. Monsters, one and all. Their deaths would be a blessing upon the world.”

Lyn closed her eyes, and drew in a deep breath. “I’ll come back one day. When my strength has grown. When my skill has been honed. I’ll come back, and break their swords beneath me like twige beneath a stallion’s hooves. I will do everything in my power to see my people avenged.”

“Bring me with you!” Sain shouted. “When that day finally comes, bring me with you!”

“And me.” Kent said. “I would join you on this quest, if you would have me.”

“To the ends of Elibe.” Terra affirmed. “Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Lyn looked from knight to knight, and then to Terra. A smile grew on her face. “Thank you… thank you, everyone.” She turned to the town. “Now, let’s go.”

They descended the hill and entered the village. The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air. Despite the apparent destruction they’d seen, there were still plenty of residents left in the place. Groups of people rummaged through piles of rubble. A few small stands still lined the streets. Life went on. Most of the villagers gave them a wide berth as they traveled through, but Terra felt dozens of pairs of eyes following their group’s every move through the town. 

They passed through the first half of the village without event. As they approached the village center, though, Terra heard shouting. Rounding a corner, she saw the source: A pair of armed men, and a young woman with a pegasus.

“Lyndis,” Kent said, “Be on your guard. It appears that we’ve come upon some sort of commotion.”

Lyn turned to look at the group. “A pegasus?” She started walking forward, towards them. “Could it be?” Her pace quickened, and Terra and the knights followed behind. They got closer, and Lyn called out. “Florina? Florina, is that you?”

The rider’s head snapped up, and her nervous eyes brightened. “Ah! Lyn?” The men looked up, saw the pair of knights riding towards them, and backed up a bit.

“Florina! It is you!” Lyn broke into a dead sprint to cover the remaining distance, and Florina rushed to meet her embrace, the pegasus following. Florina buried her face in Lyn’s shoulder, and tried to calm her breathing. “It’s alright, Florina. No need to cry.”

“You two know each other, then?” Kent asked.

Lyn nodded. “She’s a friend. Florina’s a pegasus knight in training, from Ilia. She’s… timid. Florina, what are you doing here? What happened?” Lyn asked.

Florina’s initial response was muffled by Lyn’s shoulder, but she pulled her face back before continuing. “When I heard that you left… I decided to follow you. I came across this village, and flew down to see if they had any news of you… I didn’t see these two as I came in for my landing and…” Florina fell silent, but Lyn quickly put things together.

“Did you land your pegasus on them?” Lyn asked.

Florina buried her face back into Lyn’s shoulder. “A little.”

“You heard her!” One of the men shouted. Florina yelped, and put Lyn between herself and the men. “She admits her fault! Her beast stepped on my friend! She’s gotta pay up!”

“Florina?” Terra asked, stepping forwards. Florina turned sharply towards Terra, a shimmer in her eyes. “Did you apologize?”

“Of course I did.” She said, nodding vigorously. “Over and over again. But they started talking about how apologies weren’t enough.” She sniffed.

“Did they now?” Lyn asked, staring daggers into the men in front of her, who began to back away.

“Of course apologies ain’t enough!” The other man said angrily. He jabbed a finger in Florina’s direction. “Her stupid mule nearly crushed me! I’m lucky to be alive right now!”

“You look fine now,” Lyn said, “and she’s more than made her apology. Are you sure you won’t just let this pass?”

The second man narrowed his eyes, glaring at the group. “Fine,” he spat, before turning and leaving the scene, followed quickly by his friend. 

Lyn sighed, and turned back around to Florina. “Florina, are you alri-”

A pair of loud, sharp whistles, the first short, and the second long, carried over the village. “Kill the men!” A familiar, angry voice shouted, “but leave the girls some breath!”

“So much for letting it pass.” Lyn said.

Terra nodded, and watched as more armed men began making themselves known. An archer and swordsman began rushing towards the group. “Sain, Kent, go take care of them.”

The knights nodded, took up their arms, and rode off to battle. Terra turned to Florina. “You’re a pegasus knight, right?”

Florina gave Terra a timid, confused look. “I-I’m sorry, who… who are you?”

“My name is Terra.” She answered. “I’m Lyn’s tactician. Are you a pegasus knight?” 

Florina shook her head timidly. “N-not yet.”

“But you can ride?” Terra asked. Florina nodded quickly.

“Will you fight with us?” Terra asked.

The timid look in Florina’s eyes faded, slowly replaced by determination. She nodded once, firmly, mounted her pegasus, and readied her lance. “Where do you need me, Commander?”

“I need you to fly recon.” Terra ordered. “Circle a bit above the village, and get eyes on where these bandits are. If they start giving any of the villagers a hard time, help the villagers. Report back when you finish. We’ll go from there.”

Florina gave Terra a quick “Yes, ma’am,” and lifted off into the air. Terra watched her go for a moment, then turned to Lyn, who was still watching Florina.

“Come with me, Lyn.” Terra said. Lyn’s attention snapped back to the ground, and she began to follow Terra.

“Where are we going?” Lyn asked.

Terra pointed to a collection of houses up ahead, which had a wall around them, but whose gate was broken open. “If a fight’s going to start here, I don’t want any of the people here to suffer more than they already have.”

They approached the broken gate, and Terra shouted out “Hello? Is anyone there?”

“Leave us alone, you thugs!” A woman cried out.  
“Go away! Just go away!” A man shouted.  
“We have nothing left to take!” Another man yelled.

“Wait!” Lyn shouted. “We’re not bandits! We’re here to help the village!”

For a long moment, there was silence. Then, someone came into view. He was a young man, Terra figured, no older than twenty. Short brown hair tossed in every direction, and keen brown eyes. A quiver hung at his hip, and a drawn bow pointed at them. “Not bandits, huh?” He said. “So who are you, then?”

“My name is Lyn, and this is Terra.” Lyn said carefully. “We were passing through this village with our group when we came upon some bandits.”

“We’re looking to fight against them,” Terra continued, “but I wanted to warn some of the villagers first. I didn’t want them getting caught up in all of this.” She started backing away. “Good luck.”

“Hey, wait.” The man said, lowering his bow. “Thanks for coming to warn the villagers. I appreciate it.”

“Then you’re not a villager?” Terra asked.

The man shook his head. “My name’s Wil. I’m a traveler of sorts, too. Stopped here for a bit for a roof over my head, and the village was nice enough to shore me up. They’ve been really kind to me, and if you’re kicking these bandits out, I’d like to join you.”

Lyn smiled. “If you’re offering,” she said, “we’ll take whatever help we can get. Welcome aboard, Wil.”

“Will the villagers in there be alright without you?” Terra asked.

Wil nodded. “They’ll be fine. They were just putting the finishing touches on a new gate. Let’s go!”

Terra took their group forward, where Kent and Sain were finishing up with a third bandit who had arrived. Terra made quick introductions, and surveyed their battlefield. Up ahead, a pair of walls within the village came close. The gap between them couldn’t have been more than ten feet or so. Perfect.

“Form up near that gap in the walls.” Terra said. “Wil, keep to the back. No more than two people in the fray at a time. The third stays back in case things go sideways. We’ll hold them there for the moment.”

So Lyn, Sain and Wil took up the front lines, while Terra helped Kent tend to a wound he’d received earlier.

“Where did Lyn’s friend go?” Kent asked.

“Florina’s running recon.” Terra answered, taking the stopper out of a vulnerary. “Surveying the battlefield for me, and acting where we can’t.”

“Alone?” Kent asked.

Terra shrugged. “Is there another flying horse I don’t know about?”

Kent grunted. “She just seems so green. I’d be concerned sending any trainee out on their own.”

“Everyone’s gotta start somewhere.” Terra replied. “And even if she is a trainee, she’s got determination. She wants to prove herself.”

“How can you tell?” Kent asked, curious. “You’ve only just met her.”

Terra was about to answer, when the sound of wing-beats heralded Florina’s return. She set down nearby. She seemed a little frazzled, and her eyes were a bit distant, but she wasn’t much worse for wear.

“What was the situation?” Terra asked, pulling out a bandage for Kent.

“M-most of the bandits are moving to attack you. One or t-two of them broke off to try to raid the town, but I… stopped them.” She untied a bag from her saddle and held it out. Terra took the bag. It felt heavy. “It’s a thank-you from the village.” Florina supplied. “Gold for our help.”

Terra nodded, finished bandaging Kent’s wound, and turned to face Florina. “Did you see where their leader was while you were up there?”

“He’s to the north.” Florina reported. “Staying in the ruins of one of the buildings. He has a few other bandits with him.”

Terra nodded again, slower this time, looking to the north. “How many bandits are left?”

“Umm…” Florina’s eyes focused on some point in space between them as she thought. “Two with the boss makes three…” She focused back on Terra. “About seven or eight, across three groups.”

_I can work with those numbers._ Terra thought. She looked Florina over again, more carefully this time. “Are you alright?”

Florina was quiet for a moment. “Y-yes, ma’am. I didn’t end up taking any hits, and Huey only took a glancing blow.”

Terra made a mental note. “Alright. I think it’s time for us to end this. Let’s go.”

The three of them grouped back up with Sain, Wil, and Lyn. Together, the six of them finished off the pair of bandits in front of them, and at Terra’s command, the group thrusted north.

The bandits being scattered into smaller groups made it easier for them to control the village for pillaging, but it also made it much easier for them to be picked off. The charge cut through the two small groups coming towards them easily, and their momentum carried them north, to the final group. 

Like Florina had said, they were holing up in the rubble of a ruined home. It would be difficult for the knights to use their mobility to great effect in the ruin, but their group had an archer who didn’t need to bother with entering into the ruins to deal with the foe, and a pegasus rider whose flight could negate some of the issues grounded cavalry would have to deal with. Not to mention Lyn, who would have no problem taking on the bandits with that support. And after minimal resistance thus far, the group was still pretty fresh. There wasn’t much reason to drag this out any longer. In Terra’s mind, it was time to finish this fight.

So when Lyn called the group’s charge to a halt before engaging the bandits, Terra was more than a little bit confused. 

Just outside of the field of rubble, they waited as Lyn stepped forward, hand on her sword, and addressed the bandit leader.

“Are you Taliver?” Lyn asked, and Terra began to understand.

The bandit leader’s face scrunched in confusion. “What?”

Lyn’s hand tightened slightly on her sword. “Are you Taliver?” She repeated.

Anger replaced confusion on the bandit’s face. “Taliver?” He spat the word, like it was a curse. “We’re nothing like those greedy monsters! They hunt men for sport, and kill women and children! We,” he said, gesturing with his axe, “are from Ganelon, and we know something of honor! If we kill someone, they fought us first!” A slimy smile snaked across his lips. “After all, why kill what you can sell?”

Lyn’s stance shifted. “If you’re not Taliver, then there’s no reason for you to die here today.” Terra could hear restraint clear in Lyn’s voice, mixed with something else that Terra couldn’t place… not sad or upset… something close. “If you wish to tuck your tails and flee, I won't stop you.”

Rage returned to the bandit’s face, and he growled and charged. “No more courtesies! I’m gonna shut you up!”

He charged Lyn like a man possessed, leaving the other two bandits in the dust. Terra saw something rush past her, and an arrow stuck into the man’s charging form, forcing him to stumble. The Mani Katti flashed in the sun, blood flew, and the bandit leader fell to the ground. The other two bandits were already running. Lyn sighed, wiped her blade clean, and sheathed her sword. She turned around, and walked away from the ruined house.

“Lyn, are you alright?” Florina asked.

Lyn smiled. “I’m fine, Florina. Why did you follow me, though?”

“Do… do you remember the requirement for a trainee to make the knighting ceremony for the Pegasus Knights of Ilia?” Florina asked.

“You need an endorsement from another army or group of freelance soldiers.” Realization filled Lyn’s face. “Are you ready to start?”

Florina nodded. “I wanted to talk to you before I set out, and say goodbye. But when I went to Sacae, I heard that you’d left with some strangers, and you were headed south, and I…”

“You were worried about me?” Lyn supplied. “Thank you, Florina, but I’m more worried about you.”

Florina frowned. “Me?”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way,” Lyn said, “but you’re a timid girl, and you don’t take quickly to new people. You don’t do well with people yelling at you, either.”

“I took quickly to you.” Florina said half-heartedly. Then she deflated.

“I’ve always dreamed of being a Pegasus Knight.” Florina said sadly. “I’ve worked so hard just to get where I am… I guess I just hoped it would work out. Somehow.” She bowed her head, dejected. “But today was…” she shivered. “I just… I don’t know anymore.” Tears started falling from her face. “Can I really do this? Maybe… maybe I should give up.”

Lyn closed the short distance between the two of them, and was about to say something, when-

“There’s no reason for you to give up on your dream!” Sain declared. “Lovely Florina, I have the most brilliant idea!”

Florina looked up, confused and startled, but listening. Lyn, too, waited intently for Sain to continue. Kent was hiding his face in the palm of his hand. “What brilliant plan have you come up with today, Sain?” Kent half-asked-half-muttered.

“You should come with us!” Sain shouted excitedly. “With the addition of Wil here, we’re a fine group of soldiers, and freelance to boot!”

“Wait, you’re including me?” Wil asked.  
“Sain!” Kent blustered. “We’re not-”

“Of course I’m including you!” Sain proclaimed. “We were destined to meet here! It’s fate!” Sain turned slowly, addressing his entire audience. “It was fate that brought us to Lyndis, and it is fate that assembled us here. And besides,” he said with a twinkle in his eye, “Lyndis’s band of mercenaries is as good a training group as you will find anywhere!”

“Sain, this is no joking matter!” Kent exclaimed.

“And this is no jest!” Sain said defensively. The knights went off to the side, and carried on their conversation.

Florina looked quizzically at Lyn. “Lyn? Um, Lyndis? Mercenaries?”

“I can explain things later.” Lyn said. “This is all a little bit rushed. However, Sain is right. Will you come with us, Florina?”

Florina smiled warmly, new tears in her eyes. “Really? I’d love to, Lyn!”

Terra felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to see Wil.

“So, is it really alright for me to come along with you guys?”

Terra smiled, and nodded. “After the help you gave us today, I’d be surprised if Lyn turned you away. If you want to join us, we’d be happy to have you!”

Wil sighed in relief, and smiled. “I’m glad. I was on the last of my money here, and was living off of these people’s generosity. I’m… at a crossroads. I would be proud to count myself as one of Lyndis’s Legion!”

“‘Lyndis’s Legion’?” Lyn turned around from a conversation with Kent, having apparently overheard the moniker. “That’s what you called us, right? ‘Lyndis’s Legion’?”

“Should it be ‘Terra’s Troop’?” Wil asked.

Lyn and Sain chuckled. Kent groaned, but smiled. Terra thought a moment, then said. “Stick with ‘Lyndis’s Legion.’ This is her mission. Her story.”

Lyn looked from Wil to Terra, and smiled. “‘Lyndis’s Legion’… Things get stranger every day, Terra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took... a really long time to get out. Most of my problem was just that I kept finding other things to write, both in this story and in other works. But it's here now! Not a lot else to say, other than I promise that I'm still working on this project!


	5. In Occupation’s Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead! And to prove that I have survived, I bring to you the next chapter that, like, fifteen people have been waiting for. And to those fifteen people: you're awesome. Here you go.

# Chapter 5: In Occupation’s Shadow

_After defeating the bandits, Lyn continues westward. She and her companions stop for the night at a ruined fortress. Meanwhile, the Ganelon Bandits are in a rage after their brethren fell to Lyn’s force, and race in pursuit of their new foe… _

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

The fortress sat right where Kaia’s map had put it. Abandoned, just like her notes had said. No flag flew from its parapets, no challenge issued forth from its walls, and no rider came forth to intercept their approach.

“There it is.” Terra said. “Tonight’s bed.”

“Is this mildewy old fortress really the best we can do?” Sain complained.

“The bandits around here keep everything in turmoil.” Wil explained. “Between the half-dozen or so bandit groups around here, people have enough to worry about without a group of armed men and women asking for shelter.”

“This will be fine.” Lyn said. “Better to sleep inside than be caught out in the storm.” As if to emphasize her point, thunder rolled to the east. The dark clouds had been steadily creeping up on them during their march, and would probably be on them around sundown, which itself wasn’t too far away.

“Very well, milady!” Sain said without missing a beat. “In that case, your loyal man-at-arms shall stay at your side through the night to ensure your safety!”

“No, Sain.” Kent said sternly. “You and I will remain awake, and alternate the watches.”

Their group entered the fortress, and Terra inspected what they had to work with. The fortress had a pair of entrances: the main entrance to the south, and a secondary entrance in the east they’d used to gain access. Beyond the first set of walls was an inner chamber, and while Kent and Sain rode off to inspect their surroundings, and Lyn and Florina got to setting up their camp, Terra took Wil to inspect this inner room.

Terra was surprised to find someone else in the fortress. Sitting against a wall on the other side of the room was a woman with long brown hair, worn in a long braid. She had a small pack at her side, a walking stick leaned against the wall next to her, and a half-eaten roll in her hand. She stared at the bow Wil was holding.

“Hello.” Terra said with a friendly smile. “My name is Terra. This is Wil. We’re travellers, part of a small group.”

“Hello,” the woman said, wrapping her roll back up. She stood awkwardly, using the wall to support herself, and grabbed her walking stick. “My name is Natalie.” She began walking towards them, heavily favoring the support of the stick. “I’m from a village not far from here. I- ah!” Stumbling over something, Natalie fell forwards. Wil’s reactions were better than Terra’s, and while Terra was just starting to move, Wil had already caught Natalie’s fall.

“Are you alright?” Terra asked.

Natalie sighed. “I’m sorry, it’s my leg. A childhood illness has left it weak. I can’t travel far on it, but it doesn’t trouble me much.”

“What are you doing travelling alone?” Wil asked, helping her to her feet.

“I’m looking for my husband.” Natalie explained. “I heard he was in this area. He said he was going to raise money to have my leg mended. He left the village and hasn’t returned.” She sighed. “He’s a kind-hearted man, but I’m worried he might be involved in something dangerous. I got so worried…” She looked back to where she’d been sitting. “I have a sketch of him in my bag.”

Terra walked over to her bag, grabbed it, and handed it to Natalie. She took the bag, and produced a scrap of parchment. “It’s a poor likeness at best, but…His name is Dorcas. Do you know of him?”

Terra took the drawing, and looked at it. It was a rough sketch, but even knowing that, Terra didn’t recognize the man in the drawing. “I’m sorry, but he’s not familiar.” Terra handed the drawing to Wil.

He looked at it, then shook his head. “Nope. Never seen the guy before.” He handed the drawing back to Natalie.

Natalie took the picture with a look of growing concern, and sighed. “I wonder how far afield he might be travelling… I may not be able to follow him then…” A look of hope crossed her face as she looked to Wil, then to Terra. “If you do see him, could you give him a message?” Natalie asked. “Tell him that Natalie is looking for him.”

“I’ll let him know.” Terra promised. “Now, as long as we’re sharing a building, would you like to come to our camp? Have some company?”

Natalie smiled. “Thank you. I would appreciate it.”

Wil and Terra brought Natalie to their camp, and introduced her to Lyn and Florina. Natalie asked them about Dorcas as well, but neither Florina nor Lyn were any more help than Terra or Wil had been.

“Where are Kent and Sain?” Terra asked. “Have they come back yet?”

Lyn shook her head, and was about to say something when the sound of hoofbeats heralded their arrival.

“Lady Lyndis!” Kent shouted. “Bandits! Outside the fortress!” Suddenly, everyone was standing, on alert and arming themselves.

“Should we ride out to face them, milady?” Sain asked.

“How many of them are there?” Terra asked immediately.

“About two dozen, by my count.” Kent said. Sain nodded his agreement.

Terra shook her head. “Too many to ride out and face, and we have someone else to watch out for.” Gesturing to Natalie, Terra continued. “She’s got a bad leg, and I don’t want to leave her stranded. And besides,” Terra gestured to the fortress around them, “riding out would give up our advantage. We should fortify our position here, and let them come to us. If they decide they want to try and lay siege on us, we’ll consider our options again.”

“Where do you want us?” Kent asked.

Terra took a moment to think. “Kent, I want you and Sain to hold the main entrance. Take Wil with you. Lyn and I will go to the eastern entrance. Florina, take Natalie into the central room, then meet up with us. Let’s go!”

Terra and Lyn rushed to the eastern entrance. In the distance, Terra could see the first of the bandits rapidly approaching the fort. A trio of axe-wielding marauders coming close. Two of them seemed eager to fight, but the third, trailing behind the other two, seemed less enthusiastic. Lyn hung back, just inside the fortress’s walls, and waited.

The first two bandits arrived, but Lyn’s position just inside the fort’s entrance meant that the bandits couldn’t attack her at the same time. So the first bandit fought Lyn in the doorway, but the close space made his swings awkward, and Lyn was able to handle him without much issue. Then the second came, experiencing the same difficulties, and met the same fate.

The third bandit walked slowly, carefully, towards the entrance, not rushing in blindly like the two before him. Terra watched him and his two axes closely, waiting for him to make his move. Then, she noticed his face. It looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.

Then the man threw the axe in his hand, and Lyn and Terra ducked away from the entrance as it crossed the threshold and slammed into the wall, clattering to the ground. Lyn ducked back into the doorway just in time to intercept the bandit as he tried to rush his way into the fortress. Her sword, raised to strike, instead swept to block his inbound axe. Their collision favored the bandit, and Lyn had to backpedal a bit to keep her balance. The bandit seized on this shift in initiative, and swung at Lyn again, and again she barely managed to block with her sword. He wore determination on his face, and slowly pushed Lyn back.

Terra finally recognized the man’s face. “Dorcas, wait!” She shouted.

Dorcas shoved off of Lyn, and took a few steps back. He turned to look at Terra with a frown. “How do you know my name?”

“Natalie told us.” Terra explained. “What are you doing with these bandits?”

Dorcas shrugged. “I need the money. If you’ve talked to Natalie, you should understand.”

“And I do.” Terra affirmed. “But joining up with bandits? Attacking travellers?”

Dorcas grimaced. “There aren’t any other ways to make money around here. Ugly as it is, it’s my only option, until I can scrounge up enough money to go somewhere else, and find a better job there.”

“Those are great lengths to go to.” Lyn said solemnly.

Dorcas nodded. “I’ll do anything for Natalie. Even this.”

“Would you hurt your wife?” Terra asked. Dorcas shot her an angry, confused look. “She’s here, in this fortress!” Terra explained. “We’re fighting to protect her!”

“What? She’s here?” Dorcas asked. “Natalie’s here?”

“She was so worried about you that she came looking for you!” Lyn added. “Are there truly no limits to what you will do? Think, Dorcas! What would Natalie think if she saw you doing this?”

Dorcas was silent for a moment, his face a stony mask. Then, the mask softened, and Dorcas nodded. “You’re right. I can’t do this. I’ll find another way.” Dorcas turned to Terra. “I would like to repay the kindness you’ve shown Natalie. Allow me to fight with you.”

Terra looked to Lyn, who nodded. “Welcome aboard, Dorcas.” Lyn said.

“Commander! Lyn!” Florina came barrelling around the corner. “I’m here! Who is this?”

“This is Dorcas.” Terra said. “Natalie’s husband. He’s here to help us fight off these bandits. I want you three to hold this entrance. I’m going to go check on the others.”

Terra ran back down the hall towards the rest of the defense. At the main entrance, Kent and Sain were a dam against the flood of bandits trying to rush into the fortress, swords flashing in the faint torchlight. Wil stood behind them, taking shots as he could into the crowd beyond the knights. Looking beyond the defense, Terra saw a hallway continue on, and felt a wave of paranoia. She rushed past the battle at the fort’s gate, and into the hall beyond. There, her worries were partly confirmed. There was no entrance on this side she’d forgotten about, but the sound of metal on stone confirmed that there were bandits trying to rectify that. Terra found the spot they were trying to enter through: an old arrow slit.

Terra ran back to the front gate of the fortress. “Wil! There are bandits trying to break in on this side! Come handle them!”

Wil broke off from the defense, and brushed past Terra to handle the newly-discovered aggression. The knights, for their part, didn’t look like they would miss the archer too horribly. If anything, they seemed perfectly capable of handling everything else on their own. “If you clear out all of the bandits coming at you here,” Terra called out over the din of battle, “poke out a little bit and see if you can find their leader. Stay close, though, in case anyone tries to get in.”

Kent and Sain both shouted what passed as affirmations, and Terra doubled back to the east, where Lyn, Florina, and Dorcas were. They had, to her surprise, pressed out beyond the fortress’s walls. They were fighting just to the northeast of the fortress, where a band of swordsmen had begun to trickle onto the field. Terra looked to the south, and saw a pair of bandits. One of the bandits held an axe in one hand, while wildly waving his other. He seemed to be shouting something, but Terra couldn’t hear it over the sounds of battle nearby. Even so, she recognized an enemy commander when she saw one.

Terra turned back to Lyn’s group. They were still fighting, but weren’t heavily engaged. Terra went to the group, and when she found a moment, called out, “Lyn, come with me!” Lyn disengaged from the fight, and followed Terra.

“Their boss is to the south.” Terra explained as they went. “If we take him out,” she said, pointing to the man in question, “we might be able to end this here and now.”

Lyn nodded, and rushed forwards. The pair didn’t notice Lyn’s approach until she was right on top of them, and by then, she’d already cut two deep gashes into the bandit near the leader. As he collapsed, Lyn flitted back, away from the wide arc that their leader cut with his axe. Now that she was closer, Terra could hear his angry shouts. 

“Damnit! How!? Why are you so damn tough!? Why won’t you just die!?” At that, the man lunged forwards, swinging his axe wildly. Lyn was ready for his attack, though, and simply danced to the side. She darted in and out, wearing her opponent down, getting small attacks in wherever she could. The man just couldn’t keep up with her quick movements. He would swing his axe, trying to land a solid hit, but Lyn would just fade away for a moment, then come right back in. It went on like that for about a minute, but eventually, he couldn’t keep it up, and started slowing down. It was a few moments longer, but eventually, Lyn capitalized on her foe’s fading strength, and, after one more fade-away, delivered a killing blow.

Suddenly, there was a flash in the sky, accompanied by a rumble that shook the air. Terra looked east, and saw that the storm that had been creeping onto them was now right on top of them. For a moment, the battlefield seemed to fall silent. In that silence, a voice called out. “Screw this! Fall back!” In a minute, the battlefield was cleared, and as soon as silence fell on the battlefield again, the skies opened up, and rain began to fall.

*** *** *** *** ***

The crack of thunder joined dreams with reality, and Terra woke in a cold sweat, breath coming hard and fast, the memory of her nightmare already fading away. She was sure it was a nightmare, though, even if she couldn’t remember what it was about. She closed her eyes, not to go back to sleep, but just to try to focus on calming her breathing. After about a minute, her breathing was back to normal, and she reached up to rub her eyes. She felt the remains of tears on her face - had she been crying? Was the nightmare truly so terrible that it had driven her to tears? Why couldn’t she remember it?

Opening her eyes again, she looked around the inner room of the fortress, where they’d taken shelter from the rain. By the sounds she heard, it seemed like the storm was still going strong. Everyone else was still sound asleep. Looking around the room, in the low light of the torches burning near the entrance, Terra could see Lyn and Florina on one side, Natalie next to an empty set of blankets, and the knights asleep near the entrance. It took her a moment to remember their watch schedule, but she got there after a moment, and realized that her watch shift was next. Realizing that she probably wasn’t going to get much sleep in her current state, she got up, and, careful not to wake anyone else, began walking to the outer walls.

Terra smiled as she walked past the knights. They had tried to insist that they be the only ones to stand watch tonight, but Lyn had insisted that it would be more fair for all combatants to take turns standing watch. The knights had tried to argue the point, but neither made much headway against their sworn lady, especially once the rest of the group started weighing in. Eventually, the knights had managed to get Lyn to accept them taking the first and last watch shifts, but they’d had to concede the middle of the night to the rest of the group. But looking at them now, so soundly asleep, she knew that they would be glad for the rest. They’d had what was probably the hardest fight today. They deserved a few solid hours of rest tonight.

Wil and Dorcas were quietly sitting just outside the entrance to the inner room. Both were surprised to see her up. “Storm woke me up.” Terra explained.

Wil nodded, and stood up. “Well, I suppose, since you’re up, I’m gonna turn in. Don’t forget, Dorcas, you’re waking Lyn.”

Dorcas nodded, and Wil left the pair of them alone. For a moment, they were both quiet, and simply listened to the storm raging outside. The sounds of wind and rain and thunder echoed through the outer hall.

“I spoke with Natalie.” Dorcas said during a lull in the storm. “Our village is close. Tomorrow, I’ll take her home, and then return.”

“Then you’ve decided to stay with us?” Terra asked.

Dorcas nodded. “I believe that I will have better opportunities to find work and money in Lycia. And I owe you and your band for helping Natalie.” He paused for a moment before adding, “And Natalie would prefer that I work with you than try to find some other band to travel with.”

Terra chuckled at that. “I’m sure. After today, I’m surprised she’s not insisting to travel with you.”

Dorcas chuckled too, a sound drowned out by a peal of thunder. “I believe that she would, under any other occasion. She trusts Lyn to keep me in line, though, and you to get me back alive.”

Terra blinked. “She trusts me to…” She nodded gravely, and they were silent for a while longer.

“I’m sorry,” Dorcas said eventually, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Terra shook her head. “No, you’re fine. It’s just… I haven’t thought very much about the responsibility I have.” She stared out into the storm. “Lyn’s the leader of this group, but as the tactician, everyone’s looking to me for guidance. If one of you dies, we’re all going to feel horrible for it, but in the end, the responsibility rests most squarely on my shoulders. And you… I mean, everyone’s got something that they’re fighting for, but if I got you killed… I’ve met Natalie. I couldn’t bear to think of what might happen to her if I got you killed. How she might feel.” She took a deep breath, and let it rush out. “It’s a hell of a motivator.”

Terra felt a hand land on her shoulder, but she didn’t turn to look at Dorcas. “Just remember, you’re not the only one looking out for us. I’ve only been with your group for a little bit, but I’ve seen how they look out for each other. The burden doesn’t fall on you alone. We all shoulder a bit of it.”

Terra smiled, and turned to face Dorcas. “Thank you.”

They sat for a while longer, sometimes speaking, sometimes just listening to the rise and fall of the storm. Sometimes, they stayed out in front of the inner room. Every now and then, they got up and checked on the horses, tied up inside in one of the side hallways, out of the rain. But eventually, Dorcas stood, and said he needed to go wake Lyn for her shift. Terra nodded, and kept her watch as Dorcas left to affect the change. She stared out into the storm. According to Dorcas, it had been calmer earlier in the night, but now, it seemed to be picking up again. Terra wasn’t looking forward to the march in the morning: it seemed like a lot of mud to trudge through.

Terra jumped as a hand landed on her shoulder. She whirled, staff in her hands, but relaxed when she saw Lyn, an apologetic look on her face. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.” She said.

Terra took a deep breath, and laughed a little bit. “You’re fine.”

The pair of them settled in at the front of the fort.

“So, Dorcas tells me that he’s going to continue travelling with us.” Lyn said.

“He told me earlier.” Terra confirmed. “I’m glad we’ve got some more strength. Every little bit helps.”

Lyn was about to say something, when a particularly loud clap of thunder sounded outside, accompanied by a flash that turned night into day.

“That was a big one.” Lyn said with a whistle. “Is this the same storm that stopped our battle today?”

Terra, whose mind had wandered at the clap and flash, blinked, and came back to reality. “Uh… yeah. Kind of. Dorcas said that it’s been on and off all night.”

Lyn looked outside, and sighed. “Marching isn’t going to be great tomorrow.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Terra said. “The roads are going to be washed out, and mud’s going to be everywhere. It’ll be slow going, that’s for sure.”

“We’ll make it through, though.” Lyn assured. “As long as we can make it to Caelin, I won’t mind a day or two of rough travelling. A little mud won’t stop me from meeting my grandfather.”

Terra’s reply was cut off by another blast of lightning. This time, they could see the strike through the door as it hit a tree outside. The roll of thunder was deafening.

_When my eyes cleared, there was one less man in my squad. My heart and mind raced. The reports from the war room meeting had placed the enemy’s mages at least two hundred yards away or so. We should have been far out of thunder range!_

_But not out of range of-_

_Another bolt cut through my thoughts, and blasted another soldier out of existence. A cry of “Bolting!” rang out, and I felt my blood turn to ice. The raid on the convoy. The missing tomes. They’d- Shit! Fuck, no no NONONO! I scanned our surroundings, looking for something, anything, to give us some cover._

_“That way!” I called, pointing to the edge of a forest about fifty yards away. “Run for cover!”_

_Another blast of light and sound, and now I couldn’t block out the smell of singed cloth, burnt flesh, and the sharp stench of lightning. It mixed in my nose, and stung. I ran at a blind sprint, blinking tears. Another strike of lightning, then another, followed by twin claps of thunder, but I didn’t stop to survey the damage. I ran hard, not stopping until the bright sun was blocked by the trees. I grabbed a tree, and closed my eyes tight as I struggled to catch my breath. I’d run farther distances before, but that had been the longest fifty yards of my life. Slowly, I heard the sounds of my soldiers crashing into the forest nearby. _

_“Syd…” I shouted, though it came out as more of a croak, “R-report.”_

_Silence. Deafening silence. There were plenty of sounds: the rustle of leaves, the hard breathing of soldiers… but no Syd._

_“Sydney?” I forced my eyes open, dreading what I might see…_

_Cassidy. Powell. Mark. Erin. No Lowell. No Paulie. No Harper. And no Syd. No. Sydney…_

_“She was the first to… to go, sarge.” _

“Sydney…” Terra whispered.

Lyn’s hand on her shoulders dragged Terra out of her own head. There was a look of concern in her eyes. “Terra, are you alright?”

Terra’s body shook with a sob she hadn’t realized she was holding back, and tears rolled unbidden down her cheeks. A second sob shot through her, and she struggled to hold the tears back. Then Lyn’s arms wrapped around her, and the floodgates opened.

She didn’t track how long they sat there like that. She didn’t care. She knew that, at some point, she stopped crying, but even then, she sat cradled in Lyn’s arms.

“I remembered something.” Terra said finally, breaking their shared silence.

“Not something good, from how you were.” Lyn said.

Terra shook her head, buried in Lyn’s shoulder, but said nothing. They sat that way for a while longer, then Terra broke their embrace, sitting back, away from Lyn. “I got friends killed.” Terra finally managed to say. “I made a mistake, and I got them killed.”

The words hung in the air, and silence reigned for a time.

“You said a name…” Lyn said softly. “While you were… remembering. Was she important?”

Terra nodded. “I… I think she was.”

“Did she…” Lyn faltered. “Was she one of the ones who…”

Terra nodded again, fighting back a resurgence of tears.

And so, once again, they came together in a tight hug, and once again, they sat in silence, save for a few soft sniffles.

“Thank you, Lyn.” Terra managed. “Thanks for…” She trailed off.

“You’ve done the same for me, Terra.” Lyn said quietly. “We owe each other a lot. We support each other. To the ends of Elibe, remember?”

Terra nodded. “To the ends of Elibe.” She mumbled. She was tired. Physically, mentally, and emotionally tired.

Terra felt herself lifted, not to her feet, but off of them, and confusion fueled a rush of adrenaline. Terra realized, somewhat belatedly, that Lyn had picked her up, and was carrying her into the fort’s inner room. “I’ll wake Kent for you.” She whispered. “Just get some sleep.”

Adrenaline quickly faded, replaced by layers of fatigue. The last thing Terra remembered that night was not the storm, nor the past, but the feeling of safety in Lyn’s arms.


	6. Into Lycia

# Chapter 6: Into Lycia

_The next morning comes too quickly. Lyndis’s Legion has beaten back the bandits’ attack. Now, spurred on by success, they rush for the border. If they can reach it, Lycia, and their mission, lies just beyond…_

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Kent folded up the map. “We’ve almost reached the Lycian border. By my reckoning, we’ve only a day or so to travel before we reach Jordan’s Crag. We can stock up there before heading on to Castle Araphen, and into Lycia proper.”

“Once we cross the border,” Lyn asked, “will we be safe from bandit attacks?”

“We should be.” Wil confirmed. “I doubt they’ll be willing to chase us across the border. Bern’s borderlands are fairly lawless, but Lycia’s borders are well-patrolled.”

Kent nodded. “Araphen’s knights are a good bunch, from what I’ve heard. Rougher than most, but they have to deal with the border with Bern, so I suppose it just comes with the territory.”

Sain sighed, grinning widely. “Ah, Lycia at last! It’s been too long! Tomorrow, we’ll dine on a feast of Lycia’s finest foods! And the mistress of the inn at the crossing is said to be a beauty.”

“We’ll have a reasonable dinner.” Kent said. “We shouldn’t go around wasting money.”

“Come now, Kent!” Sain replied. “Lord Hausen gave us a sizable budget to cover room expenses, supplies, and provisions for our mission, and, thanks to your thrift, we’ve barely dipped into those reserves! Not to mention the windfall we received from the village we picked Wil up in. Are you telling me there’s no room for _one_ night of mild excess?”

Kent paused for a moment, and looked to ponder the question for a moment, then sighed in defeat and smiled. “I think we can find some space in the budget for one night.”

“I’m just looking forward to sleeping in a bed again!” Florina exclaimed. “No long nights in thunderstorms, no worrying about midnight raids… just a good night’s sleep!”

Terra nodded. “It’ll certainly be a welcome change of pace.”

Any further conversation was cut off when a loud, shrill scream carried forth from the forest ahead of them. 

“Well, so much for a quiet march the rest of the way…” Terra muttered. “Come on, guys, let’s go!”

The group rushed into the forest, but didn’t have far to go before they found the source of the commotion: a pair of travelers was beset by a group of bandits. One of the travelers wore the white robes of a cleric, and her pink hair cascaded down in a pair of twintails. She held a staff tight in her hands. The other wore a red traveling cloak, the fallen hood revealing his short, purple hair. He held an open book in his outstretched arm. Nearby, the charred body of a bandit sat smoldering on the forest floor.

Eyes turned to the new arrivals, and one of the bandits scowled and growled. “There, see! The rest o’yer damn band’s here to bail ya out! Boss was right!”

“We’ve never met!” the pinkette shrieked.

A bandit moved to attack the pair from the side. An arrow shot forth, sinking into his shoulder. In that moment, the forest erupted into chaos. Terra could only watch the situation for so long before she found herself forced to be involved.

A bandit came up to her from the side, sword raised to strike. She leapt to the side, deftly avoiding the strike, and swung her staff at him, catching him in the thigh. He winced, but shook off the blow and came at her again. She dodged again, this time backwards, but the sword was closer this time. She jabbed at him with the staff, hitting him in the stomach. He grunted in pain, but grabbed the staff before she could retract it. Terra tried twisting and pulling the staff away, but the bandit’s grip was locked in tight. She couldn’t get her staff back.

The bandit snarled, eyes locked onto hers. Terra dropped the staff and leapt away from the third strike, but in doing so, she slammed her back into a tree, and momentum crashed her head into it as well. She winced and swore loudly as pain shot through her head. There was a pained cry, and Terra opened her eyes to see, through blurry vision, that the bandit was no longer focused on her. Instead, with bleeding cut across his back, he was now focused intently on Sain. Terra’s vision refocused, and she found her staff discarded on the ground nearby. She picked it up, came up behind the bandit, and, grasping her staff tight in both hands, she _swung_.

There was a loud crack and a pained scream as Terra’s staff slammed into the bandit’s lower ribs, caving in the middle of his torso. His scream turned to a gurgle as Sain capitalized, his second swing cutting where the bandit’s neck met his shoulders. The bandit collapsed and Sain, nodding once to Terra, dove back into the fray. Terra looked around her immediate vicinity. No more bandits were nearby. Working to calm her suddenly ragged breathing, she turned her attention to the battlefield.

The fight had well and truly turned into a rout for the bandits. Where there had been a dozen and change of them to start, there were now five of them, and those five, including the one who had accused the pair of travelers of being with their group, were starting to pull away from the fight. Two of them stayed forward, spending their lives to keep Florina and Kent at bay, while the other three fled, shouting for the rest of the bandits. Terra grimaced. This fight wasn’t over yet.

For a moment, though, calm fell onto the battlefield. Terra rubbed the back of her head, and pulled her hand away. There was no blood, thankfully, but the spot hurt to touch, and her whole head still throbbed.

“I’m sorry to have gotten you involved.” Lyn said. Terra looked up to see Lyn talking with the pair.

“It’s no problem.” The purple-haired mage said. “We were just caught in a misunderstanding. Please, don’t trouble yourselves with us.”

“If you’re going to have to fight anyways, shouldn’t we stick together?” Lyn asked. “It’ll make this fight go faster.”

“That’s true!” The pinkette replied. She turned to her companion. “Erk, go help them out!”

Erk deflated a little bit, but nodded. “Alright, fine. At least it’ll be better than trying to fight on my own.”

“My name’s Lyn.” Lyn offered.

“My name’s Serra.” The pinkette responded. “This is my escort, Erk.”

Terra began walking forwards. “My name’s Terra, the group’s tactician. What are your abilities?”

“I’m a student of Anima magic.” Erk said. “Serra’s most notable ability is to drive the sanest of men mad after spending so much as five minutes with them.” Serra balked and scowled at that, but Erk ignored her and continued, “but I suppose you’d be more interested in her skills with her staff. She’s an OK healer, I guess.”

“I- Only _decent_!?” Serra harrumphed. “Erk, I must say that you’ve painted _quite_ the unflattering image of your employer!” Serra looked at Terra. “Despite what my contrary employee might tell you, Terra, I am quite adept at using staves to heal wounds.”

“Perhaps a demonstration of your considerable skills is in order, milady?” Sain rode forwards, wearing the biggest smile he possibly could. “Milady, my name is Sain, and I was injured during that skirmish. Might you grace me with your aid?”

Sure enough, there was a nasty-looking gash along Sain’s thigh. Terra frowned. Had he gotten that protecting her?

Serra smiled just as wide. “Of course, sir Sain.” She approached him, and raised her staff. When she spoke next, it was in a different language, but one that Terra still recognized.

**“Elimine, your servant asks that you heal this knight’s injuries, and make him fit to fight again!”**

A pale blue light surrounded Sain, and Terra watched in amazement as the wound on his thigh knitted itself closed right in front of her. Sain’s hand came down to the spot, and rubbed the spot where the wound had been. “Barely a scar left to show…” He murmured. “You have my thanks, milady!” He gave her a short bow from his horse.

“Sir Sain, I am nothing if not generous. Do any of your companions require my aid?”

Kent, Dorcas, and Lyn had each sustained injuries during the course of the skirmish, and Serra healed each of them in turn. As soon as she finished, though, the bandits returned in force.

“You’re not getting away so easily!” The bandit leader shouted. “You leave alive, and everyone’ll think that the Ganelon Bandits have gone soft!”

“And we care nothing for you or your reputations!” Lyn shouted back. “We are going to Lycia, and you will not stop us!”

“Kill’em all, lads!” The leader yelled out. “No holdin’ back!”

With that, just over a dozen bandits charged forwards through the forest, towards the group, who took battle positions, as directed by Terra. As the bandits approached, Terra watched Erk as he opened the tome in his hands. He grabbed the first page at the top, and spoke, like Serra, in that different, familiar language: **“Spirits of fire, burn!”** Then, he ripped the page from the book, flinging it in the direction of the approaching bandits. Terra watched as the page burned away in flight, changing into a fireball that drove straight into one of the approaching brigands.

Wil, Erk, and Serra were behind the main battle line with Terra. Up front, the fighting was fierce. A brief bout of withering ranged fire had reduced the bandits’ numbers a bit on their approach, but the group’s frontline fighters were still outnumbered almost 2-1. But the bandits were a rough group, and Lyn’s Legion had slowly but surely become more of a cohesive fighting force. The knights, Lyn, Florina, and even Dorcas all covered each other’s backs. While one attacked, another defended. When one was pressured, another relieved them. When one made an opening, another capitalized on it. They weren’t perfect combatants, and Terra saw each of them take at least one good hit each (two in Dorcas’s case, and the knights each took three), but they were certainly better than the bandits, who, with a bit of help from the rear line, went from a numbers advantage, to parity, to totally routed over the course of the short, bloody battle. Not five minutes later, thirteen bandits laid dead on the ground, and vulneraries and bandages were broken out, along with additional healing from Serra’s staff.

“Serra, Erk, thank you very much for your help here.” Terra said. “And sorry again for dragging you into our fight.”

“No worries!” Serra said. “It’s always wonderful to meet new people! One of the perks of travel!”

“Thank you for your help, as well.” Erk added. “You helped us out of a rather unpleasant situation.”

“Of course!” Lyn said. “So, I suppose this is where we part ways?”

“Well, I think that depends on where you’re headed to.” Serra said. “If we’re both headed the same way, I think it may be better for us to continue to travel together. Safety in numbers and all that?”

“You won’t find much safety following us, I’m afraid.” Terra admitted. “We’re heading off to a fight.”

“Oh?” Serra asked. Erk deflated, and muttered something. 

“We’re escorting Milady Lyndis to Caelin.” Sain offered. “It’s something of an inheritance dispute.” 

Serra looked to Lyn with a new glint in her eye. “You’re far too young to be Marquess Caelin’s daughter. Are you his granddaughter?”

Lyn nodded. “I am.”

Serra was quiet for a moment, a contemplative twist to her face. “I’ve decided.” She said finally. “Erk and I shall be accompanying you on your mission to Caelin. Elimine had our paths cross for a reason, and I shall answer her call. Please say you’ll have us!”

“If you’re so eager to aid us, I won’t turn down your assistance.” Lyn said. “I’m sure that your skills will be a welcome addition to our band.”

*** *** *** *** ***

The group reached the border town of Jordan’s Crag after another day of travel, arriving near sundown. They arrived at the inn, paid for stable space and a pair of rooms (Erk and Serra, apparently, already had arrangements, and their own room), and then immediately left for the local tavern, where they had a damn good meal. After nearly two weeks of game stews, jerky, and travel rolls, dining on fresh meat, veggies, and bread was definitely a welcome change. Then, as promised, a bit of proper indulgence to celebrate their arrival in Lycia: sweet rolls baked with cinnamon, raisins, and nuts.

Back at the inn, Terra learned that their stay at the inn included access to the inn’s bathing setup that drew water from a nearby stream, and the desire to clean off two weeks of accumulated dirt and grime made itself known. So she headed down to the innkeeper to ask for directions, and was led to the changing rooms, and left with three cloths (one for scrubbing, one for drying off, and one for modesty, the innkeeper told her), a lockbox key, and a warning that, though normally kept separate on a schedule, this late at night, the baths were mixed. Terra thanked the innkeeper, and headed into the changing room. She stripped down, but as she did, she found herself distracted.

Terra had never taken a good look at her body since she’d woken up in Lyn’s tent. Her robes covered everything, and there wasn’t much reason before to look. But now, as she saw more and more of her body, she found one question rising to the front.

Where did all of these scars come from?

With every inch of skin she revealed, there seemed to be a new scar that came with it. Granted, not all were equal. Some were very faint, barely noticeable unless she was looking, like the one Glass had given her on her left upper arm (the priest that had healed her, Terra realized belatedly, had spoken in that same different language as Serra and Erk, though at the time, she’d been too distracted by her injury to take notice). Others, like the scar that ran across her chest, or slashed across her thigh, ripped pink and silver trails across her body. She wondered what her back looked like.

She finished stripping down, and began putting her things into the lockbox. She paused for a moment to consider the bag chained to her belt, then decided that she’d be fine without it for a bit, and put it in the box with the rest of her things. Then, she locked the lockbox with her things, and grabbed the key. She wrapped the largest cloth around her waist, tied it off, and carried the other two through the door into the baths.

Sain was in the baths. He sat on a stool, cloth wrapped around his waist. A bucket of water sat at his feet, another cloth draped along the side. A bar of soap was in his hand, mid-scrub along his arm. They sat, staring at each other for a moment. Terra noticed Sain’s gaze had drifted down from her face, and moved to cover her chest. Then, Sain’s face turned bright red, and he turned around quickly. “M-my apologies, milady! I meant no offense, I swear! My eyes were drawn by the scar on your chest, not your… your chest.”

For a moment, Terra debated giving Sain a hard time about it, but quickly decided against. “Don’t worry about it. It’s fine. They surprised me, too.” She surveyed the room, working out where everything she would need was. She grabbed a bucket from a nearby stack, and a bar of soap from a pile nearby (it smelled like lavender). She filled her bucket with water from a surprisingly warm pool, and set herself up facing away from Sain.

Terra found scrubbing off the weeks of dirt and grime to be oddly satisfying, and certainly refreshing. It felt so good, after weeks of marching, to clean up. The water was pleasantly warm, not too hot, and the soap just gave the whole experience that little extra kick. For a while, she was able to simply sit and enjoy the process. But as she cleaned up, the scars drew more and more of her attention, and in particular, the one on her arm, the one that Glass had given her, set her thinking. Soon enough, her thoughts turned to the battle yesterday, to her run-in with the swordsman…

“Sain?” Terra asked.

“Hm?” He answered.

“Thank you for saving me yesterday.”

“Of course, milady!” Sain replied. “I saw that you were in need, and rode forthwith to your side, as any good knight would. I’m just glad I was able to help!”

Terra smiled, but her smile faltered as she thought more about the fight. Thoughts turned to what could have happened had Sain not been as swift to her aid. Would she have survived the encounter with another scar to show for it? Or would the bandit have killed her there and then? With Serra, she supposed that their capacity for healing had improved, but would it have even mattered? If the bandit had killed Terra, not just left her seriously wounded, then there wouldn’t have been a thing that Serra could do.

“You have an amazing number of scars.” Sain said. “You must have lived quite the life before losing your memories. Fought a great many fights.” There was a pause. “I’ve seen seasoned veterans with fewer scars than you. To have survived so much in so little time…”

“If only I had kept some of those combat skills.” Terra mused. “Maybe then I’d be an asset on the battlefield.”

“What do you mean?” Sain said, turning to face Terra. “You ARE an asset, Terra.”

“Sain,” Terra said, facing him, “I’m not a fighter, and I’ve still been injured once and nearly injured again, not to mention all of the times that I narrowly avoid combat by luck or speech. I’m at the back of every fight, standing back and watching you guys risk your lives, and trouble _still_ finds me. Whenever I have to take a swing at someone, it’s because something’s gone wrong, and it takes one of you guys to drag me back out of it.”

“You’re also our group’s tactician.” Sain pointed out. “Your responsibility isn’t risking your life to fight, it’s to tell us what to do and how to do it. You’re our commander. You guide us through every fight. We battle so you don’t have to. And if you are hurt in battle, that is _our_ failure, not yours.” Sain smiled, though there was a hint of sadness to it. “You were hurt, or almost hurt, not because you couldn’t defend yourself, but because your soldiers didn’t defend you.” And with that, he turned away again. 

Terra wasn’t quite satisfied with that response, at least at first, but it did hold some merit to it. If nothing else, she had been a bit lax in making sure that she had someone to protect herself. But previously, they hadn’t exactly had many soldiers to spare in the first place. The way things were shaping up now, though, they were getting to the point where pulling one soldier off the front line to protect her wasn’t too far out there. Doing so probably wouldn’t affect their combat strength too much at this point. And that _was_ enough to satisfy her for now.

“Thank you, Sain.”

“Of course, milady.”


	7. Blood of Pride

# Chapter 7: Blood of Pride

_At long last, Lyn has arrived in the land of her mother’s birth. Lycia is a federation of territories, each ruled by a powerful marquess, each with their own agenda. Lyn and her band enter Araphen, one of these territories, to gather support for their journey south, to Caelin. Lyn is about to get her first taste of Lycian politics…_

\--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Araphen’s walls loomed overhead as the group approached the city’s gates. Far from being intimidated, though, Terra found an odd comfort in them. They were finally in Lycia. Here, they would hopefully be free from random banditry, and everyone would be able to sleep a little more soundly. And hopefully, if Kent’s meeting with Marquess Araphen went well, they’d be leaving with a bit more security.

As their group approached the gate, one of the guards standing at the gate looked up at them, and walked up to meet them. Her armor was well maintained, with the exception of her shield, which looked as though it had definitely seen some better days. A pair of broken spear points hung off her belt.

“Sain, I’m of half a mind to turn you ‘round and send you off. I’d be doing all of Araphen’s women a disservice if I didn’t.”

Sain just smiled that great big grin of his, though. “Ah, Rosaline! Well met! I’m glad to see that you’ve kept your sharp wit. How long has it been since we’ve seen each other?”

Rosaline’s stern face lightened. “Been a bit less than a year since we kicked you back to Caelin. Kent said that you wouldn’t be too far behind.” Her face shifted again, this time to one of worry. “He said that he was going to talk to the Marquess, that it was urgent. What’s going on, Sain? Who are these people?”

“It’s a long story.” Sain said. “An inheritance dispute in Caelin. We’re escorting Lady Lyndis, Lady Madelyn’s daughter, from Sacae to see her grandfather. Lundgren has already taken action to try to kill milady, and we were worried that the threat would only grow as we approached Caelin, so we’ve decided to petition Marquess Araphen for aid.”

Rosaline looked back to the group. Her eyes flitted from person to person before landing on Lyn. 

“Huh. Just like your mom’s portraits.” Rosaline said.

“You’ve been to Caelin?” Lyn asked.

Rosaline nodded. “It’s how I met Kent and Sain. I was part of their training cadre in Caelin, and we did our first mission together: hunting a group of bandits out in the borderlands. They come back around every now and then, and last year, they helped me train up a couple of new recruits.”

“Caelin and Araphen enjoy a sturdy friendship that goes back decades.” Sain said. “Our knights and soldiers train frequently train together. I’ve even seen Caelin knights with squires from Araphen, and vice versa.”

“Do you know how we can get to the castle?” Terra asked.

“Just head straight on down the main road.” Rosaline said. “No turns. It’ll take you right there. Sain knows the way. He should be able to take you unless he’s forgotten.” 

“Thank you, ma’am.” Terra said.

“Good luck with your meeting!” Rosaline waved them on, and the group walked past the guardhouse, through the gates, and into Araphen. The main road was wide, and lined with stalls and vendors on either side. People milled about in the streets, carts travelled up and down the road. The city was absolutely buzzing.

“This city is so big…” Lyn said. “It’s bigger than Bulgar… Are all Lycian cities like this?”

“No.” Terra responded. “Araphen’s one of the biggest cities in Lycia.” According to Kaia’s notes, the second-largest city in Lycia, smaller only than Ostia herself. Both had similar reasons for their notable size: Ostia was the gateway to Etruria, Ilia, and the Western Isles, and thus was a hub of commerce for Lycians going out, and those countries coming in. Similarly, beyond Araphen lay Bern and Sacae (and also Ilia, by way of Sacae). However, Ostia also had the benefit of being the seat of Lycia’s power, the head of the Lycian League, and that prestige drew people to the city.

“So, you come here often, then?” Terra asked Sain. 

Sain smiled. “Perhaps not ‘often,’ but this certainly isn’t the first time I’ve come here…” He paused in thought, then offered “fifth or sixth time, perhaps. Like Rosaline said, Kent and I have come here to fight bandits in the borderlands or train up new recruits. It keeps us sharp.”

“Keeps you sharp? What do you mean?” Lyn asked.

“Lycia’s knights are fighters, but we rarely have much fighting to do.” Sain explained. “Lycia hasn’t experienced widespread warfare in a very long time, and Caelin specifically hasn’t experienced combat with another territory since a spat with Tania 15 years ago. Our time on the battlefield is normally limited to political squabbles and the odd criminal band that pops up within our territories. I’ve fought as many battles in the weeks that we’ve been travelling as I fought in the entire rest of my service as a knight, and I’m including the three times Kent and I rode with Araphen’s knights in the borderlands.”

They enjoyed a moment of silence, and Lyn looked like she was about to say something to break it when Kent came riding towards them from the castle’s direction.

“Milady Lyndis!” He called out as he approached, “The marquess has agreed to aid us on our journey to Caelin!.”

“He’s going to help us?” Lyn asked.

Kent nodded. “Once I informed the marquess of our plight, he agreed to lend us his strength.”

“Then it looks like we’ve got a smooth road ahead!” Sain declared.

“How is the marquess to aid us?” Terra asked. “Does he plan to commit soldiers, or simply supply us?”

Kent frowned, sighed, and shrugged. “I don’t know. He made vague promises of support, but also refused to elaborate on specifics in our meeting. He assured me that he would not send us away empty-handed, but he made it clear he wanted to speak with Lady Lyndis personally before committing to anything.”

“Then we don’t yet know if we’ll be getting reinforcements or just supplies?” Lyn asked. “That’s awfully frustrating.”

“That’s Marquess Araphen for you.” Sain commented. “The man’s always scheming.”

Kent frowned at Sain, but it wasn’t long before the frown crumbled. “He’s not wrong. Marquess Araphen is not a man to jump into something without careful consideration. He’s always looking to maximize the gains that he and Araphen enjoy.”

“So he may decide that Araphen stands to gain the most by offering only token support?” Terra asked.

“Or he may decide that he stands to gain the most by sending along two squads of knights with us.” Kent offered. “Ultimately, it depends on what he decides is best, given the situation. And he wants to talk with Lady Lyndis before making that decision.”

“Why does he want to talk to me?” Lyn asked. “What more can I tell him that you haven’t already?”

“Maybe he just wants to make sure he gets a chance to see you while you’re in town.” Sain suggested. “He was one of Lady Madelyn’s potential suitors, before she rode off with your father. He might just want the chance to meet you.”

Lyn was silent for a long moment, a complex array of emotions dancing across her face. “So it all comes down to how our meeting goes, then? If he’ll help us or not?”

Kent grimaced. “I’m sorry to grow your burdens, milady.”

Lyn just shook her head. “You did everything you could for me, Kent. You’ve fought at my side and now you’ve helped us secure valuable supplies. You’re a capable knight, and I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

“Thank you, milady.” Kent said with a reassured smile. “Now then, the castle awaits!”

Together, the group made its way to the castle. However, it wasn’t long before a thick column of black smoke began to rise from the castle. Alarmed, the group hastened their approach. Now, yells and screams began to erupt from the direction they were headed. Their path brought them to a barracks near the castle, where a small contingent of Araphen’s soldiers were engaged in combat with a group of assailants. 

Terra was about to order the group to help Araphen’s soldiers when, with a shout of “It’s her! Get them!” another group charged them from the side. Three swordsmen rushed forwards, two splitting off to fight Kent and Sain, while the third went straight for Lyn. Surprised by the ambush, Lyn was on the back foot immediately. But just as quickly as these new assailants had launched their attack did another combatant enter the scene. A man on horseback appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and fired an arrow into the back of Lyn’s attacker, dropping him where he stood. No sooner had the swordsman fallen than did the rider pivot and ride towards the soldiers. 

With the help of the rest of the group, the knights had little trouble handling their attackers, and together, the group headed towards the group of soldiers, where the sudden tripling of combatants resulted in a quick, overwhelming defeat for the assailants.

As quickly as the fight was over, though, the rider ordered the soldiers to move on.

“Wait!” Lyn cried. “Why did you help me?”

“I thought a woman of Sacae was being attacked.” The rider looked at Sain and Kent. “I was mistaken.”

“No, you were right! I am from Sacae! I’m the daughter of the Lorca chieftain!”

“The Lorca?” That had him looking at Lyn again, with a closer eye. “I thought they were all wiped out. There were survivors?” Lyn nodded. She and the rider stared into each other for a moment, before the rider nodded as well. “You should leave at once. A blaze has started in the castle, and it may spread. Don’t be foolish and waste the life I’ve just saved.”

“I was just in the castle!” Kent said. “What’s happening? How severe is the fire? Is the marquess safe?”

“The castle is under attack.” The rider said. “No one has heard from the marquess, which means he’s probably been captured. The men who attacked you were probably some of the marauders. As the captain of the guard, it’s my duty to rescue the marquess.”

“Then we’ll help you.” Lyn declared.

The rider frowned. “Why?”

“These people are after me.” Lyn explained. “If they’re attacking the castle, it’s because of me. So if I can help, I will.”

The rider was quiet for a moment. Then, his frown lightened, and he nodded. “Right. Let’s go.”

“You’ll accept our aid?” Terra asked.

The rider nodded. “I am Rath of the Kutolah.” He turned to Lyn. “Our tribes may be different, but I will not abandon a woman of Sacae.”

“Shall we ride to the castle, then?” Terra asked.

Rath thought for a moment, then shook his head. “If they’ve already taken the keep, we may be better off taking another route. There’s a secret passage that runs from the barracks to the throne room. There are triggers in the barracks that will open the way. Once we hit all three, the way will open, and it’ll be a straight shot to the castle. My men will be able to handle the rest.”

“They locked the doors, captain.” One of the Araphen soldiers said. 

“That’s fine.” Rath said. “I’ve got my…” He froze, immediately tense. “When did they…” He muttered a curse under his breath. “They must have stolen my set of keys.”

“Then our first objective is opening those doors.” Terra declared. “If we can’t get inside and finish them, we’re stuck.” She looked around. To the north and east, groups of armed combatants approached. “Maybe some of these marauders have keys.”

Rath nocked an arrow to his bow. “Only one way to find out.”

Rath and his soldiers peeled away to the east. Terra sent Kent and Sain with them, and the rest of them headed north to deal with the other band of enemies. A pair of archers stood behind a swordsman and a spearman. Terra directed Dorcas and Lyn to attack the pair of melee combatants. Erk and Wil, she had go after the archers. Once the archers were distracted with their ranged duel, she had Florina join in the attack. With Serra nearby to help keep everyone patched up, the group was able to make short work of their enemy. However, none of the fallen foes had any keys on them. Terra turned the group around to rejoin Rath and his group, and see if they’d had any luck.

The tap on her shoulder startled Terra, and she whirled, staff in hand, ready to strike.

“Whoa, whoa! Peace, friend!” The man jumped back, away from Terra. His eyes were focused, his gaze piercing, despite the friendly smile on his face. He wasn’t bearing arms at the moment, though Terra did notice the knives sheathed in his boots.

“Who are you?” Terra said, still on guard. “What do you want?”

“My name is Matthew.” The man said. “I’m a… specialist in acquisitions. I was wondering if you were interested in buying my services.”

Terra relaxed her guard a bit. “I’ve got no need for a thief. We’re not exactly trying to steal anything.”

“I guess you don’t need to get into the barracks, then?” Matthew asked.

Terra paused, reevaluating the young man in front of her. If they got a key off of the other group of attackers, they might be able to proceed without issue. If. And that didn’t preclude there being other issues once they did get into the barracks. If everything went smoothly, Terra figured she could always turn Matthew away. But somehow, she figured that their group wouldn’t be so lucky.

“How did you know that we were trying to get into the barracks?” Terra asked.

Matthew shrugged. “I didn’t. Not specifically. But I saw you guys going over their bodies, so you had to be looking for something. Keys to some locked doors seemed as good a guess as any.”

Terra nodded. “And why join us?”

Matthew smiled. “Seems like fun. More fun than joining up with the dead guys, anyways.”

“You’re the strangest thief I’ve ever met.” Terra said. “Come on, let’s go see if the others had better luck.”

They hadn’t. “We’ll have to see if we can fashion a battering ram from timbers from a nearby house.” Rath said. “If we can’t find my keys on these ruffians, we’ll just have to break the doors down.”

“Actually,” Terra interjected, “I just found someone who’s offered his services to help us resolve that issue.” She gestured towards Matthew. “His name’s Matthew. He says that he can get us in through those doors.” Suddenly, all eyes were on Matthew. “If our only other options are forgoing the passage or taking time to break the doors down,” Terra continued, “I say we take advantage of him.”

Rath nodded. “Do you work fast, Matthew?”

Matthew flashed a crooked smile, even as his eyes went serious. “Fast as lightning.”

Rath nodded, and started his horse moving. “Come with me.” He led the group to a door to an outbuilding on the barracks’s southern side. “Work your craft.”

Matthew rubbed his hands together, then dipped them into his cloak. They came back out holding a couple pieces of metal, which he inserted into the door’s lock. A little less than a minute later, Matthew turned the door’s handle and it swung open, revealing an armory, and surprising the pair of soldiers inside, who moved to attack. Dorcas, Lyn, Erk, and Wil were able to clean up the soldiers with little trouble, and Rath dismounted, and walked inside. He went to a rack of swords, and reached past the rack to the wall behind. He looked up to the ceiling briefly, then brought his gaze back down. His hand glided over the stones in the wall, until he found what he was looking for, and pressed it. Then, he turned, walked back out, and mounted back up. 

“That’s one.”

From there, he led the group north, to another outbuilding. Matthew picked the door to this one open, too. No one was inside, so Rath walked in, and made a beeline to the corner of the room, where he prodded a stone on the wall near the ground with his toe. He came back out, mounted back up, and turned to the group. “The third switch is going to be in the barracks itself. I doubt that the barracks will be as sparse as it’s been out here.”

As Matthew picked the door to the barracks, everyone else readied themselves. As they were about to head in, though, another group of Araphen’s soldiers arrived. Rath explained the situation, and the soldiers elected to join in the attack. Now bolstered by the arrival of another five soldiers, including a mage, Matthew opened the door, and the force funneled into the barracks, with Rath and Araphen’s soldiers leading the charge.

The soldiers in the barracks were not expecting a dozen and a half soldiers to charge through its doors and into their ranks. The dozen or so enemy soldiers in the barracks were scattered around, and the two closest to the doors fell before the alarm could be raised. Once it was, though, the odds had already swung thoroughly in favor of Araphen’s defenders. The assailants did attempt to rally a defense, but they were outgunned and outnumbered, and swiftly overpowered. 

With the fighting over, Rath had his men sweep the barracks, and they found another six soldiers bound and stuffed into a nearby room. Those soldiers, once freed, quickly acquired arms and armor from the barracks, and joined the attack force. Now two dozen strong, Rath walked over to a large alcove in the north wall of the barracks. He found the third switch at the base of the wall, and stepped on it. Immediately, the sound of gears and chains filled the barracks, muffled by the walls, which suddenly began moving. The alcove wall opened up to reveal a paved tunnel beyond. Rath walked back to his horse. The assembled force looked to him.

“The tunnel leads to the throne room. The enemy lies within. We ride to his rescue!” And with that, he spurred on his horse, and the rest followed. They rode through the tunnel and out the other side, already open, into the throne room. Here, the infiltrators seemed slightly more prepared than the men in the barracks had been (Terra figured the sudden appearance of a tunnel in the throne room had something to do with it), but they were still outnumbered.

Rath immediately located Marquess Araphen, held captive on his throne, and rode with Araphen’s soldiers to his rescue. Terra, meanwhile, directed her force around to the far side of the throne room from the marquess. The remaining aggressors were sandwiched between two determined foes, bent on retribution, but they fought to the last. 

As soon as the fighting was done, Rath turned to one of the soldiers they’d rescued from the barracks. “Gordon, keep your men here with the Marquess. I’m going to take the rest of our force and seize the gatehouse. Once the castle’s gates are open, more of Araphen’s soldiers will be able to enter the castle, and we’ll truly be able to take it back.”

Gordon nodded, and Rath turned to Lyn. “You’ve given me your aid so far, will you help me again?”

Lyn nodded. “Until the storm is past.”

*** *** *** *** ***

Later that evening, with the fighting done and the castle secured, Terra, Lyn, Kent, and Sain returned to the throne room.

“I have returned, milord” Kent said to the marquess, “with milady Lyndis, our tactician, Terra, and my comrade, Sain. I wish to thank you again for agreeing to assist us in our travels to Caelin, milord.”

Marquess Araphen was silent, his face set in stone. An uncomfortable stillness descended on the room.

“Milord?” Kent asked.

“Lady Lyndis,” the marquess said levelly. “Do you know who is responsible for the attack upon my city?”

Lyn nodded. “I believe it to be the work of my granduncle, Lundgren.”

“And do you know why he would send soldiers to attack you in Araphen?” The marquess pressed.

“He wants to kill me.” Lyn said. “He wants to secure the throne.”

“Then you know that, to ensure his ascension, he was willing to send soldiers to a long-time ally of Caelin. You understand that my castle is damaged, my life endangered, and my soldiers hurt or killed because of _your_ family’s petty inheritance dispute.”

Lyn winced. “I- I’m- M-my apologies.”

Marquess Araphen paused. A new, tenser silence hung in the air.

“When I had heard that Lady Madelyn’s daughter was in trouble, I had thought to lend my assistance. I find that I must change my mind. I withdraw my offer.”

“What!?” Sain yelled.  
“Milord, you promised!” Kent objected. “You gave your word!”

“I gave my word before armed men invaded my territory!” The marquess snapped. “I gave my word before my life was threatened! Before my castle was alight!” The marquess stopped himself, and took a deep breath.

“I hear that Marquess Caelin is ill and abed. I question whether he will survive for you to meet him. If such is the case, then his brother, Lundgren, will claim his title. And I certainly wish to avoid trouble with the coming Marquess.”

“You scheming-” Sain growled.  
“Sain, hold!” Kent barked, cutting him off.

The marquess’s steely gaze fixed itself on Sain. “Your comrade is poorly disciplined, Kent.”

“My apologies, milord.” Kent said. “If you would please reconsider, if you would grace us with your aid-”  
“What if we make it?” Terra interjected.

Suddenly, all eyes were on her.

“What?” The marquess asked flatly.

“What if we make it to Caelin before Lyn’s grandfather passes? What if we secure Lyn’s claim to the throne? Then _she_ would be the coming marquess. Your refusal to aid our quest would be noted.”

The marquess chuckled. “You mean to imply that two knights, a few mercenaries, and a young lady of Sacae will be able to defeat Lundgren in the field?” The marquess shook his head. “You make a better jester than a tactician.”

Lyn stiffened. “Terra has led us to victory time and again until now. I trust her to carry us through this.”

The marquess paused for a moment at that, and looked at Lyn. “Do you now…” The marquess leaned forwards, hands clasped in thought, and went quiet for a long moment. The Marquess’s eyes flitted from person to person, before coming to land on Terra.

“Tell me, Terra. Do you believe that you can best Lundgren in battle? That you will be able to lead your group to victory in this matter?”

Terra straightened up under his gaze, and mustered as much confidence into her voice as she could. “I do.”

The marquess looked to the knights next. “Do you two trust her as much as your lady does?”

“Of course!” Sain replied. “She’s demonstrated herself marvelously thus far! I’m certain that her skill will continue to carry us to victory in the future!”

Kent nodded his agreement. “I’ve no reason to doubt her. If Terra believes she can carry us to Caelin, I will follow.”

The marquess’s gaze landed once more on Lyn. The room once again descended into tense silence.

“Rath.” The marquess called out, leaning back in his throne. Silently, the captain of the guard emerged from behind the throne. Terra wondered when he’d gotten there.

“Yes, milord?”

“You are to select and appoint a replacement for your station as the captain of the guard. You have until noon tomorrow to do so.”

Rath stiffened. “Have I displeased you, milord, that you dismiss me so suddenly?”

“Far from it. I am appointing you to a new role. You will accompany Lyn and her cohort in their fight against Lundgren. Choose one soldier to take with you.”

“Then you’ll grant us your aid?” Lyn asked.

The marquess shook his head, and spoke deliberately. “Araphen will grant you no aid in your quest. I refuse to be dragged into a neighbor’s inheritance dispute because of the actions of what is clearly an extremist faction. Enough damage has been done as it stands, and I will not make matters worse by committing soldiers and widening this conflict. Remaining neutral presents Araphen’s best chance at maintaining our relationship with Caelin moving forward, and avoiding further loss of life of my people.” The marquess flashed a smile, and lowered his voice. “That being said, if a Sacaen left his post at my side to help his kinsman in her quest, well, I suppose there’s not much I could do to stop him. And if he just so happened to use his authority as my captain of the guard to, say, provide you with supplies and funds before abdicating, that would be frustrating, but, unpreventable. Similarly, if one of my soldiers abandoned their post in a moment of heated passion to ride against the people who had attacked their home and hurt their friends, I would be unhappy with their decision to abandon their post, but could empathize with their choice. I should simply hope that they would avoid dragging anyone else into their mission.”

_‘Scheming’ indeed,_ Terra thought.

“If that is your decision,” Kent said, “then I suppose that we will have to accept it. By your leave, milord.”

“Good luck on your quest, Lyndis.” The marquess said as they left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, you will probably have noticed that Marquess Araphen is, uh… a bit different than he appears in the game. This is half-accidental, half-intentional. As I was initially writing the scene, I got into it. When I got to the part where the Marquess outs himself as a racist asshole, I looked at what I’d written up to that point, and realized that I’d framed him as way more rational in his motivation than the game does, and had the choice in either backtracking and keeping him as a racist asshole, or continue with and reinforce my existing characterization. I chose what I believe to be the more interesting option, and have no regrets about doing so.


End file.
